Australian university students and researchers are an important resource in developing and delivering positive conservation and environmental outcomes. Today’s students are tomorrow’s professionals and it’s important that the community supports those who may need a little assistance to fulfil their research goals.

Helping fund research is one way to do this and there are many examples on how this has been achieved. Not-for-profit organisations can provide funding in the way of grants. These organisations don’t necessarily need to fall in the category of environmental, they just need to share environmental or conservation awareness and concern.

One such example is the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia (SSAA). Australia’s largest sports shooting (target) and hunting based organisation has a keen interest in wildlife management and conservation. With a proud history of interacting alongside the academic arm of society, a bursary program was initiated in 2014. It focuses on research areas relating to hunting (wildlife management), conservation and shooting sports.

The SSAA has helped a number of students via their bursary program. Among those was Matt Amos, who undertook a PhD in Animal Studies at the University of Queensland. He was provided financial assistance to purchase computer programs necessary for the final analysis of his work.

Fellow University of Queensland student Daniel Baillie sought funding to assist his research in feral animal management. Ellen Freeman, Bachelor of Science with a major in Ecology and Conservation Biology at Central Queensland University, Nick Armstrong, Bachelor of Science degree at the University on Melbourne and Ryan McLean, Bachelor of Environmental Science degree at the University of Canberra, all received donations to purchase educational materials.

The SSAA has also contributed substantially to the Conservation and Wildlife Research Trust. For a number of years, one dollar from the sale of each Australian Hunter magazine was pledged, raising about $200,000 handed to the trust. This is a substantial amount by a not-for-profit sports shooting and hunting organisation to a conservation body, that would surprise many people. But the SSAA is dedicated to the protection and management of Australia’s unique wildlife and landscapes. This is well known within the sports shooting and hunting fraternity but not so in the wider community.

The Conservation and Wildlife Research Trust has used funds donated by the SSAA to help support research and conservation projects across the country. Through the grants program university students can gain access to funding up to the value of $5000 per year.

For instance, Megan Edwards, a PhD student at the University of Queensland, was provided a grant to assist in her PhD project involving the conservation of the northern brown bandicoot and the greater bilby. The money was used to test if predator avoidance training benefits bandicoots once they are released back into the wild.

All these students and others have appreciated the support given to them to help start, undertake and complete their programs and projects. Without support from the community, many students struggle to fulfil their research ambitions and need to settle for projects that are not outside the box and are seen as safe and lacking innovation.

Organisations and individuals that choose to support students are laying down the foundations for future scientists who will be the ones addressing our impending concerns with environmental and conservation management and policies.