Youth Conservation Awards

Australia’s youth can play a vital role in conserving Australian flora and fauna and can significantly contribute to wildlife conservation through innovative projects and ideas.  It is young people who can drive lasting and sustainable change, who will become the next ambassadors in wildlife conservation, and, hopefully, the successors to the Board of the Society.  We aim to inspire young people to have a stake in wildlife conservation by rewarding and recognising their efforts.

The aims of the Australian Wildlife Society Youth Conservation Awards are to:

  1. Benefit the preservation of Australian wildlife by supporting young volunteers,
  2. Further the Society’s commitment to preserving native wildlife by supporting young volunteers in all aspects of wildlife conservation,
  3. Increase awareness of wildlife conservation and attract new members to the Australian Wildlife Society, and
  4. Reward a young individual or a small group of young people who do not meet the Community Conservation Award, Serventy Conservation Award, and Wildlife Rehabilitation Award criteria.

Applicants must be between the ages of 13 and 18 years old. 

The Society will provide two annual awards of $500 each - one to a young individual and one to a small group contributing to Australian wildlife conservation.  A trophy and certificate will accompany the award.

The application process will be promoted via the website, social media platforms, newsletter, and the Australian Wildlife magazine.  Applications will be received annually by 31 December.

Winners will be notified by email, and the results will be published in the Society’s magazine.  The announcement and presentation of the winner will be made at the Annual AGM/Luncheon alongside the Serventy Conservation Award, the Community Conservation Award, and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Award.

To nominate an individual for the ‘Individual Youth Conservation Award’ ($500), please click HERE>

To nominate a small group for the ‘Group Youth Conservation Award’ ($500), please click HERE>

2022 Youth Conservation Award

The winner of the Youth Conservation Award for 2022 is Talitha Huston from Gidgegannup, Western Australia.  Talitha wrote and published a bird book called Birds of the Perth Hills, complete with hand-painted maps, all her own photographs, her own ‘skittish rating’, and photography tips for each bird.  The book was received well because there is no bird book for the Perth Hills.  Talitha has sold over 6,000 copies and donated the proceeds to a wildlife charity in her region MORE>>

2021 Youth Conservation Award

The winner of the Youth Conservation Award for 2021 is Nabilah Chowdhury of Ashfield, New South Wales.  Nabilah works tirelessly for a sustainable future for the next generation while participating in other extra-curricular activities.  Nabilah is part of Taronga's Youth at the Zoo program.  She was the School Strike 4 Climate organiser in Sydney and is part of the United Nations Youth Delegate Programme.  Her most significant personal achievement was stopping Samsung from funding the Adani coal mine and acting as the host of the Sydney school strike in May 2021, where over 10,000 people were in attendance MORE>>

2020 Youth Conservation Award

The winner of the Youth Conservation Award for 2020 is Charlie Cairncross of Fingal Head, New South Wales. Charlie has been an active Junior Wild Defender at Green Heroes since the age of five.  Charlie contributes to the creation of meaningful conservation projects that engage young children in wildlife conservation.  In response to the bushfires, it was Charlie's idea to travel into heavily affected areas and link children to orphaned and injured animals affected by the bushfires.  As a result, Charlie was able to help create the Wildlife Adoption Short Film that has inspired children and classrooms in every state of Australia to sponsor orphaned joeys with one hundred percent of proceeds going directly to carers for medical supplies needed to care for these animals. Charlie is dedicated to preserving and protecting native Australian wildlife and is currently working on a second project and short film to be released in a few months MORE>> MORE>> MORE>>

2019 Youth Conservation Award

The winner of the Youth Conservation Award for 2019 is Miss Caitlin Gallagher from Bundanoon, News South Wales. Caitlin has been focusing on supporting efforts to reduce the incidence of sarcoptic mange in bare-nosed wombat populations. Caitlin has shown a commitment to wombat conservation in the field by setting-up and monitoring burrow flaps to treat wombats, as well as being heavily involved in fundraising and educating the public more broadly regarding wombat conservation and sarcoptic mange MORE>>.