Selborne Society

[2] The society was founded by George Arthur Musgrave (1843 – 29 August 1912) and his wife Theresa of Torquay in Devon and it was inspired by Gilbert White's well-known book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne.

[3] It amalgamated with the Plumage League which had been founded by the Reverend Francis Orpen Morris and Lady Mount Temple in January 1886[3] with the full title of the Selborne Society for the Preservation of Birds, Plants and Pleasant Places while the campaigners against the use of birds for fashion formed the Plumage Section with royal patronage from Princess Christian, daughter of Queen Victoria.

[5] Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley, members of the Society, joined Octavia Hill to form the National Trust in 1895 to preserve "pleasant places".

The Plumage League spawned similar groups like the Society for the Protection of Birds in Didsbury, Manchester, and the "Fur, Fin and Feather Folk" in Croydon.

It was one of the first organizations to raise public awareness in England concerning environmental issues, and acted as a leading example to international movements such as the American Ornithological Society.

The Selborne Society purchased local land enclosures for posterity in cultivating rare animal and plant wildlife.

Afforestation of East Anglia was also encouraged, as shown by the Society's approval of the region's progressive woodland farmers who cultivated quick-growing willow trees.

In 1901, articles produced by the Nature Notes pushed for the protection of badgers and polecats which were hunted to endangered levels in the English countryside.

Its editors combined scientific accuracy with digestible topics to further the Society's goal of informing the public of environmental issues of international policies, laws, or other concerns that could threaten natural species.

Abstracts of scientific reports, correspondence between noted authorities, and sketch competitions were utilized to encourage public interest in environmental pursuits.