The Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise (FoWST) group is an initiative of the Threatened Species Network, through WWF. After some groundwork by Greencorps, the group formed in July 2004 (and incorporated in 2005) to aid local, national and international awareness of the critically endangered status of Australia’s rarest reptile, the Western Swamp Tortoise, by providing information and educational resources.

Membership of the group is FREE - Click Here.

One of our primary purposes is to encourage the public to assist in Western Swamp Tortoise recovery activities that move us towards a sustainable population in Western Australia, and to complement the work of the Western Swamp Tortoise Recovery Team.

Some of our activities:

Education, including addressing school and community groups, displays at events, generating media releases and speaking on radio and TV.

Release of captive-bred tortoises.

Fieldwork such as revegetation and seed collecting, installing aestivation tunnels, assisting with earthworks, etc.

Sourcing grants for ongoing groundwork such as revegetation of release sites.

Assisting in installation of permanent information displays such as those at Ginger’s Roadhouse, Upper Swan, at Bullsbrook and at Edgecombe Brothers Winery.

Liaising with corporate entities that wish to support Western Swamp Tortoise recovery, either by donating money, land or other resources.

Fundraising events such as the cocktail party and wine launch at Edgecombe Brothers Winery in September 2006.

Publishing newsletter ‘Tortoise Tales’.

Bi-monthly committee meetings and six-monthly Recovery Team meetings.

The Chairperson’s address at the AGM has traditionally highlighted the events of the preceding year.