Whitley Fund for Nature’s Post

Today is #WorldMangroveDay and the Global Mangrove Alliance has released its 2024 State of the World Mangroves report. While the report finds that half of the world's mangrove provinces are threatened, there have been tremendous advances in safeguarding these vital ecosystems. The report spotlights several ways Rare is engaging and enabling local communities to protect the mangroves: 🇧🇷 In Brazil, our grassroots Green July campaign uses Local Ecological Knowledge 🇮🇩 🇧🇷 In Indonesia & Brazil, our community-led conservation approach that combines protection and sustainable management of the Community Seas 🇵🇭 In the Philippines, we are designing a parametric insurance product to build resilience in communities and better equip them to protect mangroves. Rare's Lisa Schindler Murray, Hari Kushardanto, Maura Sousa, Diane Faith Figueroa, Jacob Ashton, Tanmatra Bhanti and Emily Goodwin all contributed to the report. Download the report here --> https://lnkd.in/e-Y3QMFC

The bad news came through at their weekly team meeting: a new decree had allocated 60,000 ha of Campo Ma’an forest in southwest Cameroon to CAMVERT, an agro-industrial giant producing palm oil. The Green Development Advocates (GDA) team sprang into action. This is the story of how a small but mighty Cameroonian organisation supported its community to take on CAMVERT and win, protecting 20,000 ha of this precious forest and its people. Thought to be one of few regions that persisted as a tropical rainforest through the Ice Age, Campo Ma'an National Park hosts an incredible array of life. Some species are found nowhere else on Earth, and several are on the IUCN Red List. The giant pangolin, the African elephant, the lowland gorilla, the chimpanzee, the buffalo, the panther, and the mandrill – the strikingly colourful primate pictured – all fall into the latter category. Campo Ma’an is also home to a large local population who make their living from this protected area. For the Indigenous Bagyeli community, the forest is their resource. With this extraordinary biodiversity and heritage on the line, GDA gathered research, sounded the media alarm to reveal the true cost of 'development' plans, and mobilised the community to fight for their rights. This local action resulted in a major victory, proving the 'big guys' don't always win! Read the full piece: https://lnkd.in/dPqAwwqf #indigenousrights #communityimpact #advocacymatters

🌍 Happy World Environment Day! 🌍 Today, we honor the dedication and tireless efforts of conservationists worldwide who are committed to safeguarding our environment. Their work, often carried out in remote and challenging conditions, is vital for the health of our planet. At the Hempel Foundation, we are proud to champion these environmental heroes by fostering capacity building and knowledge sharing. 🤝 Last year, in collaboration with the Whitley Fund for Nature, we supported the Winner Network Development Program in Brazil. This initiative brought together #WhitleyAward winners from across Latin America, fostering an invaluable exchange of ideas and experiences. Listening to these conservationists' testimonials underscores a critical message: enhanced knowledge sharing among individuals and organizations can greatly amplify the effectiveness and pace of environmental impact. ✅ With this in mind, we are thrilled to support the continued commitment of the Whitley Fund for Nature to bring their partners together for shared learning. This year and next, we are funding their Winner Network Development Programs, bringing together extraordinary conservationists in other key regions. 🙌 A special thanks to our partner, Whitley Fund for Nature for their great work and thanks to IPÊ - Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas, for empowering conservationists and exemplifying organizational growth and development in Latin America and beyond.💚 #WorldEnvironmentDay #HempelFoundation #WhitleyFundForNature #Conservation #Sustainability #capacitybuilding #knowledgesharing #GenerationRestoration David Emmett Cláudio Pádua Suzana Padua Pedro Fruet Fernanda Abra

A new global road map sets out 11 priority areas with 32 action items, those considered to be those most critical to advance human rights, the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities and "equitable governance" in area based conservation. Read on to learn about the diverse group of actors behind the Roadmap and how the IUCN Protected and Conserved Areas Team plans to advance the Roadmap as part of our priority areas of action. https://lnkd.in/gGSMiFwc

👩🔬 🧬 How can funding native trees accelerate farmland regen techniques? Today's highlight: The Devery's Creek Project, led by Conservation Volunteers New Zealand. It's a patch rich with regeneration potential. This retired farmland preserves precious remnant Kahikatea swamp forest and a Significant Natural Area with regenerating wetland and forest habitats. 🌱 The 5,000 native trees you've funded for this planting will support the first stage of the team's ongoing project. They'll be tackling several knowledge gaps by assessing cryptic species (especially herpetofauna), installing fish passage aids, developing low-chemical approaches for land health, eDNA testing and water quality testing. Planting Projects are a national knowledge hub of on-the-ground insights. Their mahi and expertise is vital to the successful regeneration of Aotearoa New Zealand's land. 👇 Each native tree has an epic story. Discover them below. #naturerestoration #naturebasedsolutions #scientificdiscovery

🌍 Empowering Conservationists Globally Like many grassroots conservationists, Micaela Camino plays a vital role, dedicating herself to the farthest reaches of Argentina. Yet, the inherent solitude of such work presents challenges in building capabilities and fostering knowledge exchange with peers and organizations. Micaela, with more than a decade of experience as a conservationist, has encountered the drawbacks of operating in an isolated region, marked by limited professional presence and scarce opportunities for knowledge sharing. This highlights the importance of initiatives like the Winner Network Development Programme organized by the Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN) in Brazil—a project we proudly support. We believe in the power of facilitating training programs and knowledge exchanges among conservation stakeholders. Our commitment extends to providing a platform for grassroots conservation leaders, enabling peer-led discussions on critical subjects. 🗯️ Annually, our partner WFN orchestrates a transformative training week in a different region of the world, bringing together #WhitleyAwards alumni residing in proximity. This initiative not only equips conservationists with essential skills but also establishes a secure space for these dedicated individuals navigating remote, dangerous, or stressful conditions daily. #ConservationLeadership #GrassrootsConservationists #capacitybuilding #Biodiversity #Conservation #Brazil #KnowledgeExchange #NatureProtection

May 20 is #WorldBeeDay, a time when we acknowledge the critical role bees play in our ecosystem. Bees contribute to one-third of the food we consume, underscoring their significance to our survival. Originating from #Slovenia, this day serves as a reminder to prioritize the welfare of bees. The essence of World Bee Day lies in raising awareness about the importance of bees and other pollinators. Mere recognition of this day isn't enough; concerted efforts toward their conservation are imperative. Beekeepers and conservationists urge everyone to contribute to creating favorable conditions for bees, thereby ensuring our own well-being. Every small action counts in sustaining the bee population. Celebrated on May 20, World Bee Day commemorates the birth of Anton Janša, a Slovenian pioneer in beekeeping, born in 1734. The United Nations formally recognized this day in December 2017, following Slovenia's proposal, emphasizing the global significance of bee preservation.

In celebration of the joyous occasion of the 69th birth anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTF) launched our ‘Roadmap 2040’, which charts a course towards achieving the overarching vision of BTF and ensuring a sustainable future for nature, and our planet. BTF is grateful to our conservation partners, our supporters and well-wishers, who joined us for our launch today. Purpose of Roadmap 2040 The BTF Roadmap 2040 charts a course towards achieving the overarching vision of the Trust. This Roadmap acknowledges current environmental challenges, anticipates future demands on the nation’s natural resources, and recognizes that environmental challenges will continue to evolve over time. It also acknowledges that investments in biodiversity entail extended timelines to yield sustainable results. This will only be possible through strategic partnerships with people and organizations who share a common vision and long-term commitment to conserve nature and the environment. To access or download our 'Roadmap 2040' click the 🔗 below: https://lnkd.in/dSdRaSsm

A win for community organising and the arid lands - Buffel grass has been declared a weed across the Northern Territory! Buffel grass is a major threat to biodiversity, transforming landscapes and altering fire regimes. This landmark decision is the result of decades of relentless advocacy and community organizing. A victory is not just for the community but for the desert plants and animals that desperately needed this outcome. Now, to get on with stoping the spread! To understand the issue and possible solutions check out the Arid Lands Environment Centre’s position paper, Firestorm - Understanding the risks and seizing the opportunities to better manage buffel grass across the Territory. - https://lnkd.in/g_3XmeNw

More important evidence for the social and conservation impacts of community-led conservation.