In 2021, Paul Dettmann met Ash Knop and soon afterwards the concept for Wilderlands was born.

To bring the business to life they would need a brainy bunch with biodiversity chops.

Experienced environmental markets expert Nick Lewis was the first on that list and would play a pivotal role in shaping the methodology and producing what would become known as the Wilderlands Whitepaper.

Web development agency Nok Nok were then engaged to work alongside Vegetation Link and build a bespoke registry to manage and verify the units which would ensure third-party independence recognising that trust and integrity were the two most important ingredients to establish credibility.

Securing a marketing chief with plenty of startup experience was the next priority and landing Heath Evans proved a major coup who would later be joined by a social media superstar sidekick in Claire Ansett who would be key to bringing the stories of impact to supporters.

The next hire was no doubt the most integral with the team head-hunting a Lead Ecologist Deanna Marshall who brought a perfect combination of experience for these credits with over 25 years working across conservation and covenants as well as bringing an unrivalled passion for the cause.

The final step was securing our first conservation partner and there was nobody more qualified than Cassinia Environmental who have protected over 22,000 hectares of vulnerable habitat since launching in 2004 and are Trust for Nature’s largest covenanting partner.

All of this took place in less than a year and now Wilderlands was ready for the wild.

On World Environment Day 2022 over 100 of the most influential minds in the conservation space in Australia gathered for a sneak peak of this new concept and soon after the Wilderlands platform was launched. 

Wilderlands had developed a way to protect nature that moved away from the compliance market approach that takes action to offset damage, a zero sum game, and rather focused on proactive protection and a product that has since become a global leader in the burgeoning voluntary biodiversity market.

Connect with our team to learn how you can start protecting nature today and learn more about our journey through the timeline below.