The WEC Founding Circle
The WEC Founding Circle brings together wildlife researchers, rehabilitation professionals, conservationists, scientists, and leaders from outside the traditional conservation world to help create Wild Earth Conservancy from the ground up.
What We’re Building
Wild Earth Conservancy is being developed as an integrated conservation institution connecting professional wildlife rehabilitation, permanent sanctuary, endangered-species recovery, conservation research, education, and emerging conservation technology.
Our goal is to bring disciplines that are too often separated into one organization—so that caring for individual animals can inform conservation, research can strengthen species recovery, education can connect people to the work, and new technologies can expand what conservationists are able to accomplish.
We’re building WEC in phases, beginning with the establishment of a permanent sanctuary for wildlife that has nowhere else to go.
Who We’re Bringing Together
The Founding Circle is intentionally cross-disciplinary. We want WEC to be shaped by people who bring different experiences, expertise, and perspectives to the same conservation challenge.
The Circle will include wildlife professionals, researchers and scientists, conservation practitioners, educators and advocates, public figures, philanthropic and business leaders, and innovators who can help expand what WEC is capable of accomplishing.
No single group can build the institution alone. The purpose of the Founding Circle is to bring these strengths together from the beginning.
What Founding Circle Members Can Bring
Founding Circle members will not all contribute in the same way. Each person can bring the strengths, experience, relationships, ideas, and interests that make the most sense for them.
Depending on their interests and availability, members may help shape WEC programs, contribute professional or creative expertise, introduce potential partners and supporters, assist with fundraising or public outreach, champion particular conservation initiatives, participate in education, or become directly involved in appropriate WEC programs.
Hands-on participation alongside WEC’s professional team is welcome for anyone who wants it.
What Membership Means
Joining the WEC Founding Circle means becoming part of the group helping shape Wild Earth Conservancy during its earliest stages.
Founding Circle members will have the opportunity to see WEC develop from the beginning, contribute ideas and perspectives, connect with the wildlife professionals and researchers building its programs, and participate in opportunities that align with their interests.
There is no required financial contribution, no required number of appearances or activities, and no expectation that every member will contribute in the same way.
The goal is simple: to bring together people who want to help build something meaningful for wildlife and give each person a genuine opportunity to contribute.
A Different Kind of Role
The Founding Circle is separate from the WEC Board of Directors.
Founding Circle membership is an opportunity to help shape and build WEC. Board service is a separate governance role involving formal fiduciary responsibilities and organizational oversight.
Some Founding Circle members may eventually be considered for board service based on their experience, commitment, judgment, and fit with WEC’s governance needs. Membership in the Founding Circle does not itself confer a board position or governance authority.
An Invitation to Build WEC
We’re looking for people who believe wildlife conservation can be done differently—and who want to help build that future rather than simply watch it happen.
If you have expertise, ideas, connections, resources, a public platform, or simply a willingness to become involved, there may be a meaningful place for you within the Founding Circle.
Not everyone will contribute in the same way. That’s intentional.
We’re bringing together people from different backgrounds because WEC will be stronger for the perspectives they bring to it.