The Nature Conservancy’s new Conservation Director urges Australians to end the trade-off view of nature

On his first day on the job The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Australia’s new Director of Conservation Tim Cronin has challenged the popular political idea that protecting nature comes at the cost of economic growth.

"More and more people are recognising that a healthy environment is the foundation of our economy and our communities. There is growing shift toward challenging the dominant political claim that conservation and economic growth are at odds,” Cronin said.

“The reality is that investment in Australia’s natural resources and ecological health is an investment in Australia’s future. I see my role at The Nature Conservancy as vital in helping to correct this narrative so all Australians see nature for what it’s truly worth, as the foundation for prosperity. In reality, investing in Australia’s natural environment is investing in ourselves, our resilience and security.”

TNC Australia Country Director Lara Gallagher said, “Tim brings with him more than 20 years’ experience addressing climate change and biodiversity loss across local, national and global contexts. His impressive track record designing and delivering inclusive, durable solutions to complex environmental challenges made him the stand out candidate and we are excited at what we will achieve with Tim leading our highly skilled conservation team.” 

Cronin’s career spans conservation, climate and economic development, including senior leadership roles with WWF Australia and WWF International, where he has led large, multidisciplinary teams and complex, multi‑country programs. 

Gallagher continues, “Tim brings deep expertise across organisational strategy, partnerships, policy engagement, impact measurement and program delivery. Most recently he served as Global Director of WWF’s Forests Forward program, providing strategic leadership for corporate engagement on forests worldwide, helping to build a global partnership platform spanning more than 25 partners across six continents, which has committed more than AU$100 million in climate and nature finance.”

Cronin has consistently focused on translating ambition into action by establishing large‑scale landscape programs that deliver measurable benefits for nature, people and climate. 

“Tim is widely respected in the conservation sector, and will play a critical role in strengthening conservation outcomes and advancing ambitious, locally grounded solutions to Australia’s most pressing environmental challenges. We welcome him to the team, and look forward to sharing the benefits his work brings not just to TNC, but to all Australians,” Gallagher said.