Connecting in Difficult Times

As many of you know, Thin Green Line is an internationally focused NGO founded in Australia. It’s natural that our most committed support has come from our home base, but, through our international connections and exposure, we’re grateful to have achieved ongoing support from supporters in Europe, Africa, and the USA.

One of Thin Green Line’s biggest partnerships from the USA was with Patagonia. Several years ago they donated thousands of uniforms to TGL to distribute to needy rangers worldwide. It took some time for our small team to ship them, but now they are all out there on rangers’ backs!

Patagonia’s donation recognised Thin Green Line’s practical support and advocacy for wildlife rangers across the world. Other conversations with US organisations followed, leading to an invitation to give the closing keynote address at last year’s 1% for the Planet Global Summit.

The keynote was a great success; it served as a launching pad to share our vision with many empathetic 1% for the Planet businesses. Companies were keen to both champion Thin Green Line’s cause and support our action-oriented ranger projects, protecting rangers and the ecosystems they work in.

So, even with a changed and challenging political climate in the USA, Thin Green Line was invited to return to the US and speak at a number of Patagonia stores. Cell Signaling Technology, Boston, also hosted us, and conversations followed with other 1% members.  

What we experienced in the US was a level of empathy and compassion second to none – with a genuine desire to support the world’s rangers. Our message on the need for ranger support was brought further into focus with the loss of 4000 rangers’ jobs in the USA. (We didn’t see that coming.)

It’s particularly uplifting to see this level of interest, especially given the tough times and many critical issues pulling on people’s attention.

When I set up Thin Green Line 18 years ago, we would take any credible opportunity to help our fellow rangers. The engagement with US supporters may be one of the biggest opportunities yet, so we’ll stretch ourselves to make the most of it for rangers across the globe.

We do that confidently because of the wonderful responses from individuals and organisations there. We tip our hats and say thank you: thank you Patagonia, thank you 1% for the Planet, thank you Cell Signaling Technology, and to all the businesses and US citizens we spoke to, including Lou Banks, Krystyna Hincman, Bob Macintosh, Michael Sage and Jeffery Stewart who are standing with Thin Green Line, and with rangers on the frontlines of conservation, shining a light into the rangers world.

NOW is the time to act!

Thank you,

Sean Willmore

Founder, Thin Green Line