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Rachel Lowry

Chief Conservation Officer WWF Australia

Rachel Lowry is the Chief Conservation Officer at the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia, a role she has held since 2020. In this position, she leads a dedicated team of conservationists, scientists, and innovators focused on developing solutions to pressing environmental challenges that threaten wildlife and ecosystems in Australia and beyond.

Background and Career

Lowry has over 20 years of experience in conservation, having initially worked within the zoo-based conservation sector. Her early career involved roles such as Conservation Director and Chair of the International Zoo Educators Association. This background provided her with extensive exposure to global conservation efforts and the human dimensions of environmental issues, including education and social marketing.12

She is passionate about integrating innovative approaches into conservation efforts, such as using blockchain technology for seafood supply chain traceability and designing adaptive strategies for wildlife in response to climate change.12 Lowry emphasizes the importance of community engagement and believes that collective action is crucial for addressing environmental issues effectively.

Personal Insights

Rachel Lowry describes herself as empathetic and determined, with a strong connection to nature stemming from her childhood experiences. She currently resides near the Maribyrnong River in Australia with her family, where they enjoy nature play.12 Her commitment to conservation is deeply personal; she aims to create a better world not only for wildlife but also for future generations.

In her role at WWF Australia, she engages with various stakeholders, including government officials and Indigenous communities, to advocate for stronger environmental protections and support initiatives that benefit both people and nature.23

Recent Developments

As of December 2023, Rachel Lowry transitioned from her role at WWF Australia to become the CEO of Bush Heritage Australia, continuing her commitment to conservation in a new capacity.34

Highlights

Oct 4 · linkedin

For years, I, alongside many, and with the backing of organisations I’ve worked for, have advocated for Australia to set the only defensible extinction target a nation like ours should have. Zero.

Zero extinctions.

The excuses not to set this target have ranged from “but it’s not practical” to “but we don’t fully know the impacts of climate change” to “we can’t afford to save all species”.

The reality is, we are a wealthy nation. We are home to incredible scientists. We’re clever people. We’ve sent man to the moon. We’ve demonstrated that when we have a vision worth striving for, good plans follow, and backed with adequate resources, we can do great things.

Today, Australia did it. We set a target not to accept any new extinctions.

A lot of good recovery planning, and deployment of resources has to follow. A new era of nature protection laws need to land, and most importantly, an independent environmental protection agency to ensure we comply with those laws and wean Australia off mass land clearing will be essential. Fortunately all within our realm of possibility, and with the right community and political will power, certainly within reach.

Hoorah to all that have worked to get the right target landing on the page. It’s better than where we were yesterday, and gives hope for tomorrow.

#RegenerateAustralia #ZeroExtinctions

Related Questions

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Rachel Lowry
Rachel Lowry, photo 1
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Location

Greater Melbourne Area