The Wilderness Action Group (WAG) was formed after the 3rd World Wilderness Congress, held in Scotland in 1983. It is a voluntary non-governmental organization (NGO), legally constituted in 1989 under Section 21 of the South African Companies Act, a company not-for-gain.

The first directors were delegates from South Africa who had attended the Congress, and who believed there was a need to form a new NGO primarily dedicated to promote the interests of wilderness conservation in South and southern Africa.

The current membership has been expanded to include members as well as directors, and comprises a wide cross section of concerned people from southern African who subscribe to WAG’s vision, mission and aims. Few other NGOs on the subcontinent have such diverse representation. Members are drawn from many different professional backgrounds and experience, including conservation planners and managers, environmental lawyers, environmental consultants, academics, psychologists, accountants, students and various other disciplines.