Is anyone else sick of BirdLife Australia marketing?

By Birding-Aus, on December 8th, 2015

Like everyone I am sick of getting the begging letters and don’t even open them now. On the other hand I’m very active in an ambitious Birdlife conservation project and understand the need for money. In WA the Great Western Woodlands project is currently unfunded, run entirely by Birdlife volunteer effort and intending to continue surveys through to 2024 in the world’s largest remaining temperate woodlands. It seems that because we are not trying to pull a particular species back from the brink there is little prospect of funding by direct donation, although I believe Birdlife are pretty active behind the scenes in trying to bring high wealth individuals on board. In our (the GWW Volunteer committee) pursuit for outside grants we are learning that money for conservation is really tight. We have successfully achieved one grant to enable surveys to proceed in the extremely remote parts of the woodlands – Even those are conducted by volunteers but some of their costs are subsidised. The great majority of the ongoing effort is unfunded. The result is that our data is presently not being utilised as it should due to the lack of a professional paid ecologist to do analysis. To conduct conservation activities Birdlife must raise funds. I wonder about the cost/benefit of frequent appeals but I’m no expert. I won’t criticise them for the effort. ADVERTISEMENT To find out about the Great Western Woodlands Project: http://birdlife.org.au/projects/great-western-woodlands/latest-news-gww or contact me, Volunteer Surveys Coordinator at gww@birdlife.org.au I will be updating the site today to advise of Autumn 2016 surveys. Perhaps people driving west would like the opportunity to carry out some surveys on their way to Perth. You’d be passing through part of the Woodlands. It’s beautiful country. Maris Lauva 040302 9051 ________________________________________ From: Birding-Aus < birding-aus-bounces@birding-aus.org> on behalf of Kai < kaischraml@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, 8 December 2015 8:58 AM To: birding-aus@birding-aus.org Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Is anyone else sick of BirdLife Australia marketing? I wonder, is the perception of this group that they really are exceptionally good conservation practitioners? Sent from my iPhone > On 8 Dec 2015, at 11:23 am, Ian May < birding@ozemail.com.au> wrote: > > Me too Fred. I now wish there was an alternative, just like the old BOCA to join. Somehow BOCA conservation drives seemed linked more to the genuine needs of birds compared to the current situation. I feel guilty about my negative thoughts on this subject but now, whenever I see a new request for conservation funding support, I cant help asking “who are the human beneficiaries”? before I ask the more important question, is this cause genuine? > > Ian May > ———————————————————————— > > > Fred Mack wrote: > >> https://support.birdlife.org.au/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=2407986&trid=43b5737e-fb8a-4471-b824-64047318c034 >> >> “With numbers down 84%… how long before the Lesser Sand Plover is extinct? >> “This Silent Shorebirds Crisis can’t continue.” >> >> Silent crisis? seriously, it’s been at the forefront of ornithology for 10 years hasn’t it… are BirdLife Australia just realizing this?.. and is this actually true? Given these people have recently said in similar marketing 90% of Australia’s woodlands have been cleared in the past few decades, we need to protect private land for Mallee- Emu-wrens (they never occured on private land as far as I know) and Magpies are going extinct, you have to wonder? >> >> I’ve supported this organization in the past to the tune of tens of thousands and all I get is constant negative doomsday marketing trying to guilt me into things. They must send me a dozen a year. Add to that a massive and insultingly invasive, “supporter survey” asking me everything from my income to where live! >> >> These people do wonderful actual conservation and research work – I know I help with much of it and they are great! but for god’s sake who is running this organization these days? >> >> Is anyone else totally sick of them or is it just me? >> >> Frank. >> >>

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goodfellow

December 11, 2015 at 10:41 am

Carl, thanks very much for your supportive and encouraging email. I must apologise for the delay in answering. High humidity and Wet Season storms knock out our internet, often for several days at a time. Kind regards Denise On 9 Dec 2015, at 11:31 am, Carl Weber < carl.weber@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

carl.weber

December 9, 2015 at 12:01 pm

Denise, You are clearly doing a great job under difficulties, and having some success. Good on you. Carl Weber —–Original Message—– Denise Goodfellow Sent: Tuesday, 8 December 2015 5:13 PM Cc: birding-aus; Fred Mack; Tony Russell marketing? Carl, as you might know (or at least suspect), the breaking of legs has been a viable option in the Top End, and worse. Last year friends and I formed a small committee to fight a proposed workers camp here in the rural area, one reason being that Partridge Pigeon habitat could be at risk. The fellow behind this proposal owned the hotel, not far from where we lived. One night a member went there for a quiet drink, or so he thought. Somehow the pub owner had found out that he was part of this committee, chased him to his car, and dragging him out of the drivers seat, threatened to cut him up for crab bait. Dave went to the police who confiscated this fellows gun licence. However I know from experience, that means little up here. Few bodies in the Top End have shown particular interest in the biggest threats to our native birds – weeds – most of which were brought in as cattle pasture. In part this is because the cattle industry has a lot of clout, and opposed (and still opposes) the declaration of plants such as Gamba, Olive Hymenachne, Para and Buffel grasses, as weeds. Also grasses look fairly innocuous to a lot of people, compared with cane toads. When the NT Government finally decided to act against Gamba, it was too late. Where possible landowners tackle weeds, not just for the birds, but because Gamba Grass in particular fuels dangerous fires. Ive found that one way of tackling threats to birds is through organisations with some parallel interests, such as the CWA and local volunteer fire services. Our deputy fire chief has been controlling the weeds on his property because of the birds. Taking me aside a couple of months ago, he told me with much delight, that Gouldian Finches had turned up on his land. Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow PO Box 71 Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841 043 8650 835 PhD candidate, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW. Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia Nominated by Earthfoot for Condé Nasts International Ecotourism Award, 2004. With every introduction of a plant or animal that goes feral this continent becomes a little less unique, a little less Australian. On 8 Dec 2015, at 1:47 pm, Carl Clifford < carlsclifford@gmail.com> wrote: because I know that the money will go to things that will help the students, likewise I donate to a privately run school in Cambodia, where I know the guy running the project. There, I know there will be no misuse of the funds, because he and I have an understanding. If he fiddles the money, I come over and hire someone to break his legs. It is an understanding that has worked well. Unfortunately it is not a viable option here. funds go to those in need and not mostly to the charity staff and management ? I’ve stopped all my donations to charities and do gooder funds because of this unknown, and because of the way they pester you interminably once they get your address or phone number. the recent bushfire relief funds, mainly because it was all so horrifying and I wanted to help those who had suffered, but I could only assume, hopefully correctly, that the banks did see to it that the money went where it was needed in this case. I could be wrong though. If it had been possible I would have preferred to hand the money directly to the distraught families, but that wasn’t possible because the public were not allowed into the fireground in case we were looters or rubbernecks. Of Carl Clifford marketing? marketing, whose technique seems to be based on the tenet that if they keep on dunning you, you will donate, in the hope that they will go away. Unfortunately, they don’t, they just see a sucker and come in for more. I have just changed ISP’s and they are the same, ringing me 3-4 times a week, usually at meal times, trying to sell me their mobile phone packages. is the percentage of donations that are absorbed by marketing, in the form of salaries, printing and postage etc. It has got to the point with mainstream charities such as the Salvos, St Vinnies, that I no longer donate, because I know that the majority of my donations will not go to whom I am hoping to help. I only now donate to causes where I know my mony is really going to make a difference. https://support.birdlife.org.au/emailviewonwebpage.aspx?erid=2407986&trid=43 b5737e-fb8a-4471-b824-64047318c034 extinct? 10 years hasn’t it are BirdLife Australia just realizing this?.. and is this actually true? Given these people have recently said in similar marketing 90% of Australias woodlands have been cleared in the past few decades, we need to protect private land for Mallee- Emu-wrens (they never occured on private land as far as I know) and Magpies are going extinct, you have to wonder? thousands and all I get is constant negative doomsday marketing trying to guilt me into things. They must send me a dozen a year. Add to that a massive and insultingly invasive, supporter survey asking me everything from my income to where live! I help with much of it and they are great! but for gods sake who is running this organization these days?

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sknowles46

December 8, 2015 at 4:42 pm

William Macaskill in “Doing good better” attempts to provide information to let you choose the most effective charities. It’s worth a read and I think refers to a web site which I think helps with this http://www.effectivealtruism.org. I don’t think he rates animal charities as saving human lives is his basis for judgement.

pratincole08

December 8, 2015 at 1:38 pm

And how do you identify those charities wherein even some of the donated funds go to those in need and not mostly to the charity staff and management ? I’ve stopped all my donations to charities and do gooder funds because of this unknown, and because of the way they pester you interminably once they get your address or phone number. I did contribute modestly on line ( and therefore more unidentifiably) to the recent bushfire relief funds, mainly because it was all so horrifying and I wanted to help those who had suffered, but I could only assume, hopefully correctly, that the banks did see to it that the money went where it was needed in this case. I could be wrong though. If it had been possible I would have preferred to hand the money directly to the distraught families, but that wasn’t possible because the public were not allowed into the fireground in case we were looters or rubbernecks. Tony. —–Original Message—– Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2015 12:36 PM Cc: birding-aus@birding-aus.org It looks like BLA has hired marketeers from the pester school of marketing, whose technique seems to be based on the tenet that if they keep on dunning you, you will donate, in the hope that they will go away. Unfortunately, they don’t, they just see a sucker and come in for more. I have just changed ISP’s and they are the same, ringing me 3-4 times a week, usually at meal times, trying to sell me their mobile phone packages. What worries me about this style of marketing by charities,such as BLA, is the percentage of donations that are absorbed by marketing, in the form of salaries, printing and postage etc. It has got to the point with mainstream charities such as the Salvos, St Vinnies, that I no longer donate, because I know that the majority of my donations will not go to whom I am hoping to help. I only now donate to causes where I know my mony is really going to make a difference. Cheers, Carl Clifford

latvian_maris

December 8, 2015 at 1:09 pm

In response to Carl’s comments donations can be made direct to Birdlife WA Great Western Woodlands project and every cent will go towards the project. Maris Lauv ________________________________________ Sent: Tuesday, 8 December 2015 10:05 AM Cc: birding-aus@birding-aus.org It looks like BLA has hired marketeers from the pester school of marketing, whose technique seems to be based on the tenet that if they keep on dunning you, you will donate, in the hope that they will go away. Unfortunately, they don’t, they just see a sucker and come in for more. I have just changed ISP’s and they are the same, ringing me 3-4 times a week, usually at meal times, trying to sell me their mobile phone packages. What worries me about this style of marketing by charities,such as BLA, is the percentage of donations that are absorbed by marketing, in the form of salaries, printing and postage etc. It has got to the point with mainstream charities such as the Salvos, St Vinnies, that I no longer donate, because I know that the majority of my donations will not go to whom I am hoping to help. I only now donate to causes where I know my mony is really going to make a difference. Cheers, Carl Clifford

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Is anyone else sick of BirdLife Australia marketing?

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