Issue No 45 - Winter 2013

WLTnewsInside this issue...• Big Match Fortnight,

raising funds to save therainforest of Borneo

• Latest land purchases

• News from project partners

• WLT-US name change

• Controversial Conservation,have your say

ISSUE No. 45 WINTER 2013

Saving Real Acresin Real Places

2 www.worldlandtrust.org

World Land TrustBlyth House, Bridge Street

Halesworth, SuffolkIP19 8AB, UK

Tel: 01986 874422Fax: 01986 874425

Email:[email protected]

£700,000 raised forBorneoThe results of Big Match Fortnight,2-16 October 2013

Thanks to the generosity of our supportersWLT has achieved its greatest ever fundraisingsuccess by raising £685,152 for the BorneoRainforest Appeal during Big Match Fortnight2013. Taking into account donations to theappeal made before and after Big MatchFortnight, the appeal total now tops £700,000.

Borneo Rainforest Appeal: aimingto raise One Million poundsLaunched by Dr Isabelle Lackman, director ofHutan, WLT’s partner organisation in Borneo, inAugust, the Borneo Rainforest Appeal is well on itsway to raising its target of One Million pounds.Thank you to everyone who rose to the challengeand made a donation during the fortnight.

The support for this project and WLT, about toembark on its 25th year, has been unprecedented.Our supporters and ambassadors have enthused,inspired and cajoled so successfully that we havebenefited from tens of thousands of pounds of free,high profile advertising and PR for the appeal. And,as well as motivating our existing donors to make acontribution, we have reached many new peoplewho we hope will be inspired by our work andbecome part of our long term donor base.

Thank you also to our Patrons who have given

magnificent support and also to our Trustees andCouncil members (which includes Simon Barnes) fortheir unstinting support and to the very manypeople who have gone the extra mile to help usgive a lifeline to threatened species in Borneo.

Special Appeal

On track to save Orang-utansand their rainforest neighbours

The results of Big Match Fortnight

Orang-utans. Absolutelyextraordinary animals and easy tosee why they generate so muchaffection. And when you look intotheir eyes it’s like a reflection in anot so distant mirror. I’m really

pleased that I was able to play a rolein WLT’s Big Match Fortnight - an

organisation and a causeI wholeheartedly support. Thankyou to everyone who showed theycared by making a donation.

What a wonderful achievement.

Chris Packham, Patron, WLT

““

Simon Barnes writes about the work of the Trustregularly in The Times. In his column of 12 Octoberhe wrote: “Times readers responded [to lastweek’s feature] with a level of generosity thathas almost struck me dumb. In the first week [ofBig Match Fortnight] more than £100,000 hadbeen sent to WLT and I’m told that a largeproportion of these funds came from readers.I am humbled, bemused, marvelling - and quiteshatteringly grateful. The Malay for thank youis terima kasih. Its literal meaning is: “Receivedwith love.”

Thank you Simon and to absolutely everyonewho donated to our appeal.

Simon Barnes with WLT’s Mary McEvoy, on a sitevisit to the rainforest of Malaysian Borneo. They arewatching a White-crested Hornbill in the LowerKinabatangan floodplain, which your donations arehelping to save.

“Every bit of rainforestthat is chopped down isless space for Orang-utans.I fully support the WLT inits bid to save the foreststhat are left, to ensurethat species such as theOrang-utan, BorneanPygmy Elephant and othercritically endangeredspecies are not lost forever.

Congratulations onthe success of Big MatchFortnight and thank youto everyone who madea donation.”

Sir David Attenborough Patron, WLT

Special thanks toSimon Barnes

Down payments secureland in the Keruak WildlifeCorridorThanks to overwhelming support for theBorneo Rainforest Appeal, particularlythrough Big Match Fortnight, we havewasted no time in sending funds for downpayments towards the creation of theKeruak Wildlife Corridor that links theKeruak Virgin Jungle Reserve with Lot 2 ofLower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.Hutan, our partners in Borneo, confirm thatthe land is being saved as we write this.

The first phase of land purchase willsecure a stretch of several properties alongthe north bank of the Kinabatangan River,to safeguard the Keruak Wildlife Corridor.Even small parcels of land can be a lifelinefor Orang-utans so long as they linkprotected forests, enabling animals tomove safely over greater distances.

Phase 2: Once the riverside propertieshave been purchased, and if we havesufficient funds, we will be able to moveon to purchase more properties furtherback from the river which will widenthe corridor.

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Hornbills including this OrientalPied Hornbill are monogamous andmate for life. There are eightspecies of hornbill in the LowerKinabatangan floodplain. Threatsare primarily loss of forest but theyhave been hunted in the past forfood, eastern medicinal purposesand because they eat orchard fruit.

The Bornean Pygmy Elephant is anendangered species. Numbers areestimated to be as few as 2,050 wildindividuals compared to more than600,000 African Elephants. Expanding human developmentdisrupts their migration routes anddepletes their food sources.

The Proboscis Monkey is endemicto Borneo and endangeredthroughout its range. It prefersforests along river edges. Its Malayname, Monyet belanda, means“Dutch monkey”, as allegedlyIndonesians remarked that theDutch colonisers often hadsimilarly large bellies and noses.

The One Million pound appealWe still need to raise £300,000 to complete the crucial corridor ofland for Orang-utans.To donate, visit www.worldlandtrust.org or use the donation form insert.

Special Appeal

The Lower KinabatanganFloodplain showinglocation of the KeruakCorridor (inset).

The Flat-headed Cat aliveand well in Kinabatangan Despite being one of only six wild catspecies listed by IUCN as Endangered, theFlat-headed Cat (Prionailurus planiceps) isone of the least known of the world’s wildcats. Patchily distributed in the Thai-MalayPeninsula, Borneo and Sumatra, it issuspected that there could be fewer than2,500 mature individuals surviving in thewild, and these are restricted to wetlandhabitats in fragmented forests.

The good news is that they have beenseen in the Lower Kinabatangan floodplainand one was spotted by the WLT groupon a site visit in October 2012. Bill Oddie,who was in this group was so taken withthe Flat-headed Cat that he composed asong in its honour, called “Nobody tellsthe Flat Headed Cat where to go…”

Keruak Wildlife Corridor in Borneo

Saving species from extinction, and not just Orang-utans

2,500 acresSAVED inColombiaThe purchase of two new properties hasextended Las Tangaras Reserve inColombia, one of the most diverse tropicalforest sites on Earth. The reserve is ownedand managed by WLT’s partner, ProAves.

Protection of the sites was crucial forthe survival of rare and threatened birds,including two endemic species: Golden-ringed Tanager (Bangsia aureocinta) andBlack-and-gold Tanager (Bangsiamelanochlamys). Threatened mammals onthe reserve include the Spectacled Bear.

We reported on the progress of thelarger of the two purchases in the Springissue of WLT News, and can now confirmthat this has been completed; it adds1,869 acres (756 hectares) to the reserve.

The most recent purchase, protecting688 acres (278 hectares) within the corereserve was strategically important as itsafeguards an important watershed of theRio Atrato and habitat for a wide rangeof flora and fauna. Some of this land waspurchased with funds from the ActionFund as it cost more than £100 an acrebut was considered a priority forprotection.

The Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) survives in the Andean regions ofColombia, Ecuador and northern Peru, but its populations are declining dueto the loss of forest habitat to cattle ranching and agriculture. Further landpurchase safeguards its habitat.

Buy an AcreprojectsSave One Acre for £100 inBolivia, Colombia, Ecuadorand Mexico.See donation form enclosed ordonate online:www.worldlandtrust.org


New land purchase success

Safeguarding the forests, safeguarding the rarestLatest Buy an Acre land purchases

390 acres SAVEDin EcuadorEcuador’s Podocarpus National Park maywell be the world’s last stronghold for theMountain Tapir which has an estimatedtotal population of just 2,500 individuals inthe wild. This recent land purchase of 390acres (158 hectares) will protect morerainforest habitat.

Not all the land within the PodocarpusNational Park is protected and whenimportant land does come up for purchaseNature and Culture International (NCI),one of WLT’s Ecuadorian partners, lookcarefully at the biodiversity that would beprotected. This latest property was knownto be home to Mountain Tapirs and sobecame a priority for purchase.

Ranging between 1,040 and 1,960metres above sea level in an area wherethe Andes meets the Amazonian basin, itcontains an important water source formammals and also for the BombuscaroRiver which supplies the city of Zamora.Funds for the purchase came from WLT’scorporate supporter TapirApps and theintrepid bungee jumpers of ParadiseWildlife Park.

At Paradise Wildlife Park, in Hertfordshire,James Cork, Head of Paddocks section (topright), with fellow keepers and residenttapir, present John Burton (WLT CEO) andViv Burton (Head of Communications) witha cheque for £2,500.

Funds were raised mainly through theirterrifying bungee jump, which involvedbeing lifted to the top of a crane nearly ashigh as the London Eye. Many thanks toJames, Carrie Arnold, Callum Bullworthyand co-jumper Emily.

“I have a massive love for tapirs”, saidJames, “and I try to educate our visitorsabout these fantastic animals at everyopportunity.”

New land purchasein the pipelineNew land purchase is currently under waywith three of our project partners inEcuador: Nature & Culture International,Fundación Jocotoco, FundaciónEcoMinga. And in Mexico with GrupoEcológico Sierra Gorda and in Colombiawith ProAves.

Buy an Acre & Action Fund

Cerro Blancodesignated an Areaof Importance forthe Conservationof Bats (AICOM)The Cerro Blanco Protected Forest, closeto Ecuador’s largest city Guayaquil, ismanaged by WLT’s partner FundaciónPro-Bosque. This 15,019 acre(6,078 hectare) reserve is one of the lastremaining Ecuadorian dry forests and isvital for the survival of many speciesincluding the reserve’s flagship species,the Great Green Macaw. Its importance forbats has now been officially recognised.

Research into bat species has beentaking place since 2007 and biologistJaime Salas, who created an inventory ofbat species at Cerro Blanco, has beenassisted by Leonardo Álava. Theirdedication has been rewarded with thefirst AICOM in Ecuador.

Best ever breedingseason for Yellow-shouldered Parrotson MargaritaIsland, VenezuelaRecognising the significance of thehabitat and biodiversity of the MacanaoPeninsula, on the western side ofMargarita Island, in 2009 WLT fundedthe purchase of 1,809 acres (732hectares) of threatened dry forest.This forest provides vital roostingsites for the Yellow-Shouldered Parrot.

This breeding season a record number ofYellow-shouldered Parrots fledged thanksto the vigilance of WLT partner, Provita.The 16 nest sites were protected day andnight resulting in 77 chicks successfullyfledging - 33 more than last year.

Since 2012 WLT has supported Keeperof the Wild (reserve ranger), PabloAntonio Millán, who is assisted in hiswork to protect the nesting sites by sixother rangers. The parrots build nests inthe cavities of tree trunks, but the nests areoften spoiled by poachers who, outsidethe breeding season, are looking foriguanas in the nest holes. Early in the yearrangers repaired damaged nests byapplying net covered in nontoxic plaster tomake sure that the parrots had enoughplaces to breed.

Illegal pet tradeEvery year, between March and August,Yellow-shouldered Parrots raise their chicksin Macanao and every year poachers and

traffickers attempt to remove chicks fromtheir nests to sell into the illegal pet trade.The ranger’s job is risky, as poachers canbe aggressive. A few years ago Provita’steam was attacked by armed poachers,who fired warning shots and stole 16chicks. Early in the 2012 season, poachersdamaged 40 per cent of the nests, evenbefore the eggs hatched. Congratulationsto Provita on their success this year.

32 species of batOf the 32 species of bats recorded atCerro Blanco the two most importantare the Fraternal Fruit-eating Bat(Artibeus fraterculus) and the HarmlessSerotine (Eptesicus innoxius), both ofwhich are endemic to the dry forest.Other significant species are the LittleBig-eared Bat (Micronycteris megalotis),Heller's Broad-nosed Bat (Platyrrhinusmatapalensis), Pallas's Mastiff Bat

(Molossus molossus) and Wilson’sBonneted Bat (Eumops wilsoni) onlydiscovered in 2009.

One of the more unusual speciesfound at Cerro Blanco is the GreaterBulldog Bat or Fisherman Bat (Noctilioleporinus), (photographed above)which flies low over water to catch fish.They can catch as many as 40 fish of upto 80mm in length in a single night.

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Although we often focus onlarge mammals, habitatpreservation is just as importantfor small mammals. I am delightedthat Cerro Blanco has beendeclared an important area for batconservation. Just knowing that itprotects 32 different species of batis enough to a warm the heart ofany conservationist.

John Burton, WLT CEO

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Success stories from our overseasconservation partners

Helped with funds from WLTAction Fund &

Keepers of the Wild

Keeper of the Wild Pablo AntonioMillán repairs a damaged nestusing net covered in nontoxicplaster. And five healthy Yellow-shouldered Parrots chicks survivethe 2013 breeding season.

September 2013:REGUA adds another62 acres to its reserveGuapi Assu Ecological Reserve (REGUA)has added another 62 acres(25 hectares) of Atlantic Rainforest toits reserve thanks to funding from WLT.

The newly acquired property lies in theUpper Guapi Assu watershed, adjoiningthe existing reserve boundary. Most ofthe new property is secondary forest,although there are areas of old,overgrown banana plantations and asmall patch of grassland which can bereplanted with native trees.

“The acquisition of this new propertyincreases REGUA’s protected area andcontinues to demonstrate to localcommunities our commitment to theforests that surround them,” saidNicholas Locke. “Being able todemonstrate that grassy hillsides canreturn to forest is a win/win situationwith local people being able to seeincreased biodiversity and improvedenvironmental services.”

Three quarters of the property lie withinthe limits of Três Picos Park, which meansthat in due course REGUA can apply forPrivate Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN)status for the small area outside Três Picos- 16 acres (6.5 hectares). Under the RPPNprogramme, land use is restricted toresearch, environmental education andecotourism in perpetuity.

REGUA was formed in 2001, and overthe years its Director, Nicholas Locke, hasoverseen the expansion of the reserve asproperties and funds have becomeavailable. WLT has partnered REGUA since2005, and has supported land purchase,tree planting, and the employment ofrangers on the reserve. REGUA’s high levelof biodiversity encourages scientificresearch and tourism as well asgenerating jobs that boost the economyand give local people a stake inenvironmental protection.

Keepers of the WildWLT supports REGUA byproviding funds toemploy Keepers ofthe Wild (reserverangers). It costsapproximately£5,000 to employ aranger for one year.

To donate to Keepers of the Wild visitwww.worldlandtrust.org or use thedonation form insert.


Live from the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil

Nicholas Locke, director of REGUA reports on landpurchase and releasing wildlife back to safety

Visit the Atlantic Rainforest at REGUA“If seeing a sloth in the wild is one of your dreams please think about visiting REGUA.The reserve offers sloths much habitat which is steadily recovering, with many foodplants available, so you may well be lucky,” says Nicholas.

The REGUA reserve is situated 80 kilometres north east of Rio de Janeiro. It protectssome of the last remaining Atlantic Rainforest, and provides crucial habitat for manythreatened species. REGUA welcomes visitors to the Guapi Assu Bird Lodge whichoffers excellent accommodation and is non-profit making. Funds generated fromtourism are ploughed back into REGUA’s conservation work which includes habitatrestoration, biodiversity monitoring, species reintroductions and education andcommunity projects.

REGUA currently protects 18,000 acres (7,400 hectares) of criticallythreatened Atlantic Rainforest. As can be seen from this photograph, somehillsides have been cleared of their trees in the past but with funds for tree planting the forests can be restored.

Atlantic RainforesthavenREGUA’s reserve protection andreforestation work within the UpperGuapi Assu watershed makes it a primeconservation area for Rio de Janeirostate’s Atlantic Rainforest.

REGUA protects 55 mammal speciesincluding the Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus) and thecritically endangered Woolly SpiderMonkey (Muriqui brachyteles). 456species of birds have been confirmed,including 118 endemic to the AtlanticRainforest. Amphibians number some456 species of which 282 are endemicand of the 311 species of reptile foundin the Atlantic Forest 42 have beenrecorded at REGUA. Over 170 species ofdragonfly and damselfly have now beenrecorded, including several species newto science. Also 570 species of butterfly.

MinasGeraisState

Nova Friburgo

Rio deJaneiroState

Teresópolis

PetrópolisMacaé

Cabo Frio

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

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Good news for lost and stolen wildlife

Back to safety in the REGUA Reserve

Safe new home forBrown-throatedThree-toed Sloth

“The endangered Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth is one of those magicalcreatures of the Neotropics.

Slothful in our language has aconnotation of being lazy and it is takenfrom the slow nature of this lovely,friendly creature. Although the slothspends close to 75 per cent of its time intrees hugging on for dear life with itsstrong claws it isn’t as slow as one maybelieve and when motivated can movequite quickly.

Sloths are predominantly arboreal andwe often see them at REGUA, in Cecropiatrees - a hollow tree that itself has asymbiotic relationship with the Aztecaants. The tree is a pioneer species so thereis never any lack of them on the reserve.

REGUA rangers, Vianna and Ramos,were on their routine duties when theyfound this sloth crossing a busy highwaynearby so they promptly stopped thetraffic and placed it inside the boot oftheir car. It was a fine, healthy male andthey brought it back to REGUA to bereleased into a safer habitat. We releasedhim in some Cecropia trees and he quicklytook off to climb to safety among thelofty branches.”

Nicholas Locke,Director, REGUA

Buffy-frontedSeedeaters back inthe wildSue Healey, REGUA volunteer reports

“On 21 July we received a surprisetelephone call from the Rio de JanerioState Forestry Police asking if we couldrelease 170 wild Buffy-fronted Seedeater(Sporophila frontalis) in the reserve thatafternoon. These birds had been illegallycaptured in the Nova Friburgo area, 45km in a straight line from REGUA. TheForestry Police were keen to releasethem as fast as possible.

This threatened species only occurs inthe last fragments of Atlantic Rainforestand as we already have them at REGUAwe immediately agreed. We decided torelease them near the wetlands, withplenty of cover for them to shelter, anddiverse food sources.

Visitors from the REGUA Lodge, andchildren from a local school, wereinvited so that the release could be usedas an educational experience for them.The Municipal Secretary of theEnvironment and the police officersgave short presentations to the childrenexplaining why it is wrong to take birdsfrom the wild, put them in cages andkeep them in their own homes, and whyit was such a positive event to be able torelease them back into the wild. Theylistened carefully to all that was said.

The four cages were carefully taken fromthe vehicle and the children removedthe covers. As soon as the birds sawdaylight and their surroundings theystarted to call and flap excitedly. Thechildren were captivated as the birdsflew past them to freedom.

Releasing species is a highlycontentious subject because of thehealth of the birds and the risk ofspreading disease, but as these birdshad only been in captivity for two days,having been caught in mist nets, thepriority was to get them back into thewild as quickly as possible. Theyadapted very well to their new home.”

The Buffy-fronted Seedeater onlyoccurs in the last fragments of AtlanticRainforest and is threatened by loss ofhabitat and illegal trapping. Prizedbecause of its remarkable song, they areknown for their migratory habits,feeding mainly on bamboo, which theyfollow as the flowering and fruitingoccurs at different periods in the AtlanticRainforest.

Children from a school close to the REGUA Reserve had an opportunity torelease birds, trapped illegally, back into the wild. The birds had been caught bymist net and were destined for the caged bird market.


Climate change is constantly in the news.Most scientists and political leadersconsider it the greatest challenge facingsociety today while some, on increasinglyshaky ground, deny it altogether. Becauseit is complicated and baffling many aresimply left feeling a little bored. The surethings are that the proposals on the tablepromise to disrupt our lifestyles andeconomy which makes it an unpopularsubject. It is a global problem thatdemands a global consensus and aglobal response but there are powerfulreasons to prevaricate and nothingdecisive gets done.

Voluntary action takesa leadSo much for the international responsebut what about voluntary action? Herethe fear of false or overblown claims hasled to independently audited systemsthat ensure actions on the ground reallydo reduce greenhouse gas emissions.These projects also validate theircredentials in terms of positive benefitsfor communities, natural habitats andwildlife.

WLT is all about voluntary action andhas risen to the challenge; inpartnership with Guyra Paraguay andthe local Yshir community it hassnatched 18,500 acres of forest in theParaguayan Chaco - complete with itsendangered Chaco Peccaries, GiantArmadillos, Palo Santo trees and therest of its fauna and flora - fromimminent destruction by cattleranchers. A parallel action has beentaken in the Atlantic Forest of SanRafael, Paraguay. This time with thesmall-holder community of La Amistad.

These acts, financed by Swire PacificOffshore and legally bound forpermanence, have prevented the releaseof many tens of thousands of tons ofcarbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Theproject is dual-certified under the VerifiedCarbon Standard and validated to GoldLevel under Climate, Community andBiodiversity Alliance guidelines. The Paraguay Forest Conservation Project

is at the top of the scale but thecertification requirements are elaborateand the job has taken several years andmillions of pounds to implement.Furthermore this kind of action needs thesupport of big companies and must be ata landscape scale. Even so, what we

saved represents a few weeks’ worth ofdeforestation in the Paraguayan Chacoas a whole.

At the other end of the scale, WLT’sCarbon Balanced programme addressesother questions:

How does WLT address Climate Change?

Roger Wilson explainsWLT’s Carbon Balanced Programme

“The drawings are historicallyimportant,” explains John Burton, WLTCEO, “until the last quarter of the 20th

century, most of the communities hadlittle contact with the rest of the world,and their art is largely uninfluenced byart teachers and methods.”

These images provide a wonderfulvisual expression of the landscape, floraand fauna of the region. With vast areas ofgrassland and lowland forest, thorn treesand impenetrable undergrowth, the DryChaco presents a hostile environment, butone that is home to an extraordinaryrange of species.

WLT has been supporting conservationin Paraguay for nearly a decade, helpingcreate three reserves covering very

different habitats: in the Dry Chaco, in theChaco-Pantanal, and in the AtlanticRainforest, including land saved throughCarbon Balanced projects. WLT alsosupports the management of three furtherprotected areas covering more than2.5 million acres in Northern Paraguay.WLT is currently working with Paraguay’sleading conservation organisation,Guyra Paraguay, and the Yshir communityto jointly manage 12,000 acres(4,745 hecatres) of land for conservationand cultural protection.

You can see more examples of theYshir artwork on the gallery pages ofthe website:www.worldlandtrust.org/gallery

Art by members of the Yshir community in Paraguay has recently been ondisplay in World Land Trust gallery. This image shows Chaco Peccariesand Palo Borracho (‘drunken’) trees, symbolic of the Dry Chaco.These communities have no written language.

• How can individuals and small tomedium-sized companiescontribute?

• How can we maximise theconservation for the money spent?

• How can we use carbon financefor the smaller, strategic, highconservation value sites thatWLT specialises in saving?

• And how can we have carbon-financed projects at a scale ourlocal partners can handle easily?

The process is made as simple aspossible: WLT provides the tools forcompanies and individuals to calculatetheir emissions from energy use andtravel. They then pay WLT to secure anarea of forest large enough to keep anequivalent amount of carbon lockedaway. This is offsetting, but the commonconcerns are covered by using all thebasic rules applied to the fully certifiedParaguay project but at a smaller scale.

Each offset is individually assigned toa project site so the contributor knowsexactly where their offsets are made.The area must be threatened withclearance if no action is taken. It ispermanently protected with legalsafeguards and amount of emissionsthat clearance would release must beconservatively estimated, with a big(usually 50 per cent) safety margin.

WLT’s Carbon Balanced programmehas proved an effective conservationprogramme – over 3,700 acres ineight key sites in Ecuador has beenprotected to date. It is also efficientin that all the funding goes toconservation and projectmanagement. Roger Wilson,

Senior Conservationist: Special Conservation Initiatives, WLT

Saving Dry Chaco, Atlantic Rainforest andChaco-Pantanal habitats and … the threats

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Be part ofWLT’s longterm future:become a‘Friend’

‘Friends’ pledge a minimum donationof £5 a month to the WLT Action Fundfor our most urgent project needs.

Easy ways to become a ‘Friend’

• Complete a Direct Debit form online: www.worldlandtrust.org/supporting/

friends.htm• Download the form and post to WLT• Let us know if you’d like us to send a

form to you by post

• For other payment options or formore information please call theWLT office: 01986 874 422

WLT’s Carbon Balanced programmeoffers individuals and companiesa means of offsetting their CO2

emissions while conserving some ofthe world’s most endangered speciesand habitats. To find out more aboutWLT’s Carbon Balanced programmevisit the Ecosystems Services pages ofour website:

www.worldlandtrust.org/eco-services

Nick Baker onCelebrityMastermind tosupport WLTNaturalist, writer and TV presenterNick Baker has been passionate aboutwildlife all his life. He has presentedmany TV series and specials includingThe Really Wild Show (BBC1), KillerShark Live (C5), Test Your Pet (CBBC &BBC1), and Nick’s Quest (Channel5/Discovery). He is regularly onDiscovery Channel which is whereAndrea Ferreira (right) first saw himon television in Paraguay.

This Christmas Nick is taking part inBBC One's Celebrity Mastermind and has chosen to represent WLT and donate hisfee to the Trust’s conservation work in the Dry Chaco of Paraguay.

Nick is hoping to make a site visit to the Dry Chaco with WLT CEO, John Burton, early inthe New Year.

Celebrity Mastermind will be broadcast on BBC1 over the Christmas period.

llegal deforestation around theSan Rafael Reserve whichprotects some of the lastAtlantic Rainforest left in theworld. In October 2012 GuyraParaguay's buildings inside thereserve were subject to anarson attack in what wasthought to be an act ofintimidation by illegal loggers.

Nick Baker with Andrea Ferreira,representing Guyra Paraguay, on theWLT stand at Birdfair 2013.

Saving wilderness, saving wildlife and adding leverage

Rainforest Trustsupports BorneoRainforest Appealduring Big MatchFortnightTo celebrate the new workingarrangements the Rainforest Trust donated£107,277 to the Borneo RainforestAppeal, during Big Match Fortnight. Thiswas a wonderful way to demonstrateshared support for conservation.

Other programme partners andprojects supported by both organisationsinclude: Fundación ProAves, Colombia,(Las Tangaras Reserve & Reserva NaturalTiti); Armonia, Bolivia, (Barba AzulReserve) and Fundación Jocotoco,Ecuador, (many reserves; the most recentshared support funded the extension ofthe Buenaventura Reserve).

Rainforest Trust joinsWLT’s institutionalpartnersAs well as WLT’s 26 overseas conservationprogramme partners, WLT now has threeinstitutional partners with whom wework on shared information and fundinginitiatives. They are:Rainforest Trust (USA), IUCN NationalCommittee of the Netherlands andAcciónatura (Spain). WLT also worksclosely with Birdlife International.

Photo credits: Cover: Suzi Eszterhas/naturepl.com; Page2: Chris Packham (above), David Bebber (below); Page 3:Stewart Forbes (hornbill), Proboscis Monkey as cover, JoFinch/WLT (elephants); Arun Roisri/Shutterstock.com(Flat-headed Cat); Page 4: Juan Pablo Reyes (tapir),Paradise Wildlife Park; Provita (Margarita Island); page 6:Thor Ostbye; page 7: REGUA (all); Page 9: PROCOSARA(San Rafael Reserve), WLT (Nick Baker); : AlonsoQuevedo/ProAves; Page 11: REGUA (trees); David Bebber(elephants); WLT (Controversial Conservation), WildlifeTrust of India (elephants).


Moving slowly towards a shared vision,in 2006 the US not-for-profit, WorldParks, became World Land Trust-US. In2013 they became the Rainforest Trust.

Prior to 2006, John Burton (WLT CEO)and Byron Swift (then President of WorldParks in the USA) had been discussinginnovative ways of working hand in handacross the world, knowing only too wellthe pitfalls, having both been involved ininternational conservation for 30 years.

World Parks was established in thesame year as WLT and already sharedseveral project partners and much ofWLT’s project criteria. In July 2006, at theWLT AGM, Trustees agreed to the changeof name for World Parks and anagreement was signed. Since then WLTand WLT-US have worked closelytogether, sharing information andenabling each to build a higher profileand a wider support base.

In the ensuing six years both WLT andWLT-US have seen major growth incapacity and project commitment. WhileWLT-US has traditionally focused on theNew World, WLT has become increasinglyinvolved in saving threatened land in Asiaand Africa.

The closeness of the workingrelationship has meant that over the past

six years we have been able to have openand frank discussions with our colleaguesat WLT-US and, despite the name change,we shall continue to work co-operativelyin our shared mission to save as much

threatened habitats and their wildlife aspossible. We look forward to building onthe partnership.More information on their website:www.rainforesttrust.org

World Land Trust-US changes its nameto Rainforest Trust The partnership continues

Working with Proaves (Colombianconservation partner of both RainforestTrust and World Land Trust), RainforestTrust has recently funded the purchase of5,691 acres (2,303 hectares) to protectessential habitat for the Colombian SpiderMonkey (Ateles fusciceps rufiventris), andthe Cotton-top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus).

Named the Titi Nature Reserve, afterthe titi monkeys of South America thatoccur from Colombia to Brazil, Peru andnorth Paraguay, it is located in Urabá

moist rainforest of Northern Colombia.This is the first sanctuary to offerprotection for the Colombian SpiderMonkey and one of only two for theCotton-top Tamarin. Protecting this landwas crucial for the survival of thesecharismatic primates whose numbershave decreased dramatically in recentdecades. For the Colombian SpiderMonkey, with its wild populationtotalling perhaps less than 100, this isparticularly true.

Two ofColombia's rarestprimates win aremarkablevictory with thehelp ofRainforest Trust(formerly WorldLand Trust-US)

While our name haschanged, our mission has not.Our dedication to protectingthreatened places and speciesremains as solid as ever, asdoes our commitment tobeing one of the most cost-effective conservation

organisations on the ground.We will retain close ties withWorld Land Trust, and willcontinue to work closely with

our overseas partner toensure the future success of

joint projects.

Dr Paul SalamanCEO Rainforest Trust

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Look out for ElephantsA scarf to treasure foryears to comeWLT and Lily and Lionel have collaborated on a stunningrange of silk scarves to raise awareness and funds to helpprotect African Elephants. Made from hand-spun silk, thebeautiful scarves showcase stunning imagery from twiceaward-winning Press Photographer of the Year and WLTambassador, David Bebber.

The exclusive Look out for Elephants collection has threestriking designs and 20 per cent from the sale of each scarf isdonated to WLT’s project with Nature Kenya. The scarves areon sale at Harrods and online from Lily and Lionel.http://lilyandlionel.com/special-collections-1/look-out-for-elephants.html

Plant a Tree with WLT

GREAT GIFT: Help to create therainforests of the future

Some of the forests at WLT-fundedreserves had been cleared before thereserve was established. Treeplanting, with native tree species, iscurrently taking place in Ecuadorand you can play your part increating the rainforests of the future.

• For £5 we will plant a tree foryourself or as a gift. We will senda Gift Card, with standard text.

• For donations of £25 we willplant five trees and send you apersonalised Certificate andGift Pack.

Forests are being restoredwith native tree speciesthrough WLT’s Plant aTree programme.

Three delightful books in rhyme by WLT supporter Kevin Price.

Heart-warming stories and games that will, without doubt, bestocking filler favourites with young children this Christmas.All three books feature WLT and are printed on CarbonBalanced paper. Ages 3-7.

Special OfferOrder from WLT and pay only £4.75 each(plus £2.25 P&P) (Normal retail selling price: £5.99)

To order send your cheque (payable to WLT) to theaddress on page 2.

For queries, overseas orders or to pay by credit cardplease call WLT: 01986 874 422

Gallery On-lineWLT’s Wildlife Art Gallery has hadseveral very popular exhibitions overthe past year which have attractedmuch local support. While Suffolk isoff the beaten track we can now offereveryone an opportunity to view nearlyall the artwork on our website:

www.worldlandtrust.org/gallery

There are original works of art byinternationally renowned wildlifeartists, newly discovered talents, as wellas photographs and prints. Purchasescan be shipped to almost any part ofthe world.

Buy gifts from twocompanies supportingthe Borneo RainforestAppealOrico is a new award winning Britishcompany producing advanced naturalskincare, certified organic using richnatural ingredients.

www.oricolondon.co.uk

Believer Jewellery’s “Life Collection” isinspired by Fibonacci spiral patternsfound in nature. 20 per cent of the saleprice of this beautiful jewellery isdonated to WLT for the Borneo appealand Buy an Acre in Colombia.

http://believerjewellery.com

Wildlife-friendly gifts for children

Last wordWLT News is printedon Carbon BalancedPaper. By usingCarbon BalancedPaper through World Land Trustpublications, in 2012 we have saved2,691kg of Carbon and preserved226.04 sqm of critically threatened tropicalforest. Carbon Balanced Paper is one ofthe most sustainable formsof communication andwill reduce your carbonfootprint and promote CSR.www.carbonbalancedpaper.comPrinted on Revive 100 Recycledpaper, available from PaperlinX.

CCAARRBBOONN BBAALLAANNCCEEDD PPAAPPEERR

www.worldlandtrust.org

Controversial Conservation

A WLT meeting at the Royal Society,held on October 2013

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Issues that are rarely discussed outsideconservation circles were raised publiclyat Controversial Conservation, a debateheld by WLT at the Royal Society on 14October.

Topics discussed included:

• Which niche species are worthsaving? Is it right to divert hugeamount of funds to save, for instance,rhinos, pandas and orang-utans? And ifso who decides which species can besaved and which are doomed?

• We tell people in India that theyshould protect elephants and tigers,despite the fact that they can causehuman deaths, eat cattle and destroycrops. In Britain we are gassing badgersbecause they carry TB. India has TB inwildlife as well, but no badgers. VivekMenon challenged those living in theUK to consider how it is that the peopleof India can live alongside bigdangerous animals.

• In this country harriers andgoshawks are relentlesslypersecuted by those who want toshoot grouse and partridges, “much of itis carried out by gamekeepers,” said MarkAvery.

• Domestic cats and feral cats. Youeither love or hate cats. Many catowners are in denial that their own petslaughters wildlife. Feral cats on theloose are perhaps an even greaterthreat. George Fenwick and CeliaHaddon gave two opposing views.

Controversial Conservation has starteda public debate, and thanks to socialmedia, the discussions are ongoing.

Members of the public are encouragedto join the debate, online questions andcomments will be forwarded topanellists, and more ControversialConservation events are planned.

An opportunity tolisten again A podcast can be heard on our website:www.worldlandtrust.org/education/podcasts or on our YouTube channel.A video will be released in due course. www.youtube.com/worldlandtrust.orgIf you would like to join the debate pleasewrite to us at the WLT office (address onpage 2) or email: [email protected]

WLT Patron Chris Packham chaireddiscussions and the other four panellists -Vivek Menon, founder of Wildlife Trust ofIndia, a WLT conservation partner; MarkAvery, former Conservation Director ofRSPB; George Fenwick, President ofAmerican Bird Conservancy and CeliaHaddon, author and cat expert - spokeeloquently and passionately about theirtopics and were not afraid to becontroversial in their views.

The event was sponsored by SibthorpTrust.

Elephant and calfusing the Tirunelli-Kudrakote corridorVivek Menon, who was in the UK fromIndia for the Controversial Conservationdebate, showed us this heart-warmingimage taken recently of a motherelephant and calf using the Tirunelli-Kudrakote corridor in Kerala, funded withhelp from WLT. Just over 6,000 elephantslive in this area.

Buy an Acre projectsSave One Acre for £100 in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico.See donation form enclosed or donate online:

www.worldlandtrust.org

Issue No 45 - Winter 2013

Documents

Transcript of Issue No 45 - Winter 2013