WHO DEFENDS NATURE?

This month, we’re asking a big question: Who defends nature?

For us, one answer is clear — the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO). They are the leading not-for-profit environmental legal centre in the Australia-Pacific region, and we are proud to stand with them as our matched charity partner.

Every day, EDO helps individuals and communities across Australia use the law to protect the environment we all depend on — the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we call home.

But the work they do can be hard to explain. It’s complex, technical, often behind the scenes — and always vital.

So instead of trying to sum it up, we want to share an example of the real, complex cases EDO takes on every day to help communities stand up for their environment.

Imagine a coal mine is proposed in a quiet rural area — surrounded by farms, native bushland, and a close-knit community. Locals worry about water impacts, noise, pollution, climate change… and the koalas that call the area home.

They form a group to oppose the project and reach out to EDO. What begins with 15 minutes of free legal advice turns into something bigger — a village hall workshop, guidance through planning submissions, and a shared sense of purpose.

Despite years of letters, petitions and objections, the mine is approved. But EDO finds the decision did not properly consider the community’s concerns — and launches a legal challenge.

Over eight years, they stand by the group through court hearings, an appeal, even a High Court case. Eventually, the approval is overturned. The mine doesn’t go ahead. The community — and the land — is protected.

Without EDO, this local group could never have taken on a powerful mining company. But with the right support, they made their voices count.

This is just one of many stories. EDO takes on complex, high-stakes cases every day to help protect biodiversity, safeguard cultural heritage, and hold decision-makers accountable.

When you make a donation to EDO at the ELK Online checkout, we match your gift — doubling your impact for people and the planet.

Because defending nature takes all of us. And together, we can help ensure that every community has the tools and support they need to speak up for the places they love.