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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." 
Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
 


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  1. The Skagit Land Trust in Washington protects another 50 more acres!

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    The Skagit Land Trust is a local non-profit conservation organisation located in the beautiful state of Washington.   It is supported by over 1,600 people (indidivduals, families and businesses).  It protects key natural land for future generations of people and wildlife and for the benefit of the community.

    And great news!

    The Skagit Land Trust has protected over 8,560 acres of land and 46 miles of marine and freshwater shoreline in Skagit County.  It’s done this  working with communities, landowners and partners.

    And good news!  They’ve purchased 50 more acres.  These are at the entrance to Samish Island and the land will be managed as part of the Samish Island Conservation Area.

    The Trust now protects 100 acres at the entrance to Samish Island and over half a mile of marine shoreline.  It includes a beach, freshwater wetlands, a tidal marsh, a small creek and tidelands.    And it means that the entrance will be natural open space forever!

    The purchase was possible thanks to over 200 families, businesses and organisations who donated to help purchase the property, and the Washington State Department of Ecology who helped secure a grant of$875,000 from the National Coastal Weltands Conservation Grant Program.  

    The Trust is working to secure further grant funds and these will help repay loans taken out for the purchase and also to help restore the property.  

     


    The 100 acres includes the Samish Island Conservation Area, and the Samish Flower Farm.  It also includes an adjoining private conservation easement, kindly donated over 15 years ago by Jim Squires Jr and Cliff Squires.  Take a look at the areas protected by the Skagit Land Trust and you’ll see how important conservation easement is.

    The first step is a site clean up. 

    Find out all about the Skagit Land Trust’s Conservation Strategy here.

    This just shows what can be done when people pull together towards a common conservation goal, so well done to every one involved.  Donate here.

  2. New conservation area in the Andes, Southern Ecuador

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    The World Land Trust is a conservation charity that works with local conservation partners all over the world.  It is an amazing charity and one of my favourites.

    One of things it has is an Action Fund.  This is something people who care about conservation can donate to, and what it enables the Trust to do is to put the donations into action fast if a piece of vital wildlife habitat is in danger of being lost.  The Trust can work with partners on the ground and ensure that the habitat is purchased and saved for wildlife and for local people living in the area.

    The Action Fund was put into action recently; and as a result, there’s a natural safe habitat for the incredible 1,000 mature black-and-chestnut eagle.  There are fewer than 1,000 of these left in the world, so very few indeed.

    But they now have a natural safe haven in Ecuador!

    The World Land Trust reported that over 34,000 acres were added to endangered eagle haven in Ecuador.   Their partner Naturaleza y Cultura Ecuador (NCE for short) has worked been working hard for four years, and as a result, the Santiago Municipal Reserve was officially declared in March 2021!

    Scientists have already recorded 344 plant species, 152 bird species, 57 amphibian, 47 mammals and 11 reptiles in the area so it is full of wildlife.



    It expands a key corridor- the Sangay-Podocarpus Connectivity Corridor – and it sits between two national parks in Ecuador.   Last year the corridor became Ecuador’s first corridor – is covers 1.4 million acres of diverse, fragile   ecosystems, and includes a bit of another reserve – the Podocarpus – El Condor Biosphere Reserve.  WLT works here with NCE.  Animals such as the jaguar and bear will be able to roam safely.

    The connections go further, because north of the corridor is 200 mile long spine of reserves and national parks along the eastern Andes, connected by reserves backed by the World Land Trust in the llanganates-Sangay Biological Corridor with Fundacion Ecominga. 

    The networked protected areas cover about 4 million acres!

    How was this money raised to buy this 34,000 acres?   In part, by World Land Trust supporters who donated to the Action Fund.  It really does make a difference.

    Read all about the 34,000 acres saved in Ecuador and the impact for the network here.

     

  3. Water, water, for wildlife in Guatemala

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    The World Land Trust reports that wildlife were putting themselves at risk in Guatemala because they were getting close to urban areas.

    So their conservation partner FUNDAECO introduced human-made watering holes and they have proved to be invaluable for wildlife – several species have been filmed using them.

    This initiative came after the Caribbean was hit by longer summers and animals got closer to towns. 

    It only takes the team a few days to install each watering hole.  The water holes will now be an annual part conservation.  The plan is to roll these artificial water sources out on other reserves.


    This means that wildlife will have access to water throughout the summer.

    The first project the World Land Trust did with FUNDAECO was the purchase of 1,500 acres of lowland and inundated tropical forest.  They created a reserve at Laguna Grande.

    Today, they are still buying and protecting some of the last remaining wetlands and tropical forests in Caribbean Guatemala.  Back in 2017, they started to create a new core reserve area in the Sierra Santa Cruz.  And WLT supports FUNDAECO through its Keepers of the Wild Appeal – that funds rangers on the reserves.

    Find out about the work the World Land Trust is doing in Guatemala here

    Find out about FUNDAECO here

    Donate to the World Land Trust’s Keepers of the Wild Appeal here 

     

  4. Please see this video from Gravitas - how nature is reclaiming its spaces due to the Coronavirus

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    Sometimes you see something on the internet or on television that really hits you hard and makes a point extremely well.

    I saw this video, this afternoon, and I wanted to share it with you.  Please share it with everyone you can.

    The ultimate message is that we SHARE this planet.  It demonstrates how dominant the human race has become - and how selfish.   I am not going to tell you anymore about it - please just watch it for yourself.   Here it is:



    Thank you, Gravitas.

    Please vow to make a difference today. 
    Find out how to reduce your impact on the earth's resources here.

     

     

     

     

  5. Good news for forests in Belize from the World Land Trust

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    The World Land Trust has great news for forests!

    On 16 January 2020, the Governement of Belize signed the declaration of North-eastern Biological Corridor of Belize.  It covers an area of nearly 70,000 acres and links the northernmost nature reserve in Belize with more central natural habitats.

    It’s really important, because it’s the first step towards achieving a total North-South corridor crossing the whole country as the map shows!

    Jaguars and other wildlife now have room to roam

    ©World Land Trust

    It’s a tremendous example of public-private partnership:  the government of Belize, local NGOs, private landowners and many international donors – including the World Land Trust – have been involved.

    UNITED FOR CONSERVATION,
    WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BETTER

    The corridor connects a system of three protected areas in one system.  Deforestation has caused the loss of over 25,000 acres of forest in tihe last 10 years.

    This will now allow big animals such as jaguar and Baird’s Tapirs enough space to move freely between protected areas and so ensure their long term survival!  It will also help build climate resilience into Belize’s network of protected areas.

    Why was this acquisition necessary?

    In Belize, about 50% of the country is under natural vegetation cover.  About 35% of the country is under some form of protection. 

    So it is still possible to create biological corridors between protected areas.

    It’s vital that these acquisitions take place, and speedily, because agricultural development are increasingly encroaching on forest.

    How did supporters of the World Land Trust
    – people like you & me –
    help in this achievement?

    The World Land Trust mobilised its supporters and inspired new ones to raise funds to support this land acquisition.  It included 2018’s Big Match Fortnight Jungle for Jaguars campaign, and another Buy an Acre opportunity a few months after that.  (The Big Match Fortnight normally comes in October when donations are matched for a specific appeal – it is incredible how much and how speedily this builds up.)

    Donate in memory of someone special
    I donated to this campaign during the Big Match Fortnight (actually in memory of my wonderful Dad as his birthday is in November and I plant a tree or do a buy an acre on his birthday and at Christmas for him, as Dad loved trees). 

    Ask someone to donate as a gift for you
    I asked my husband to also donate as my early Christmas present and it was by far the best present I had.   It really meant something to me.  We had made a difference.

    I cannot tell you the glow and warm feeling I have in my heart when I think of my jaguar roaming the biological corridor.   I call him “my jaguar” – he obviously isn’t, and I’m never going to meet him – but it’s lovely to think that because I donated and my husband has too, we’ve helped him and lots of other animals.

    Please do donate to the World Land Trust if you can, and keep an eye on their website.  I often post news of their new appeals here, so you can watch this space as well.  They are a wonderful charity and it’s good to give a meaningful gift which will last, so if you’re looking for a gift for a wildlife lover, making a donation could be a great way to do something to really make a difference – a win, win, win all round!

    This was the You Tube Video for Jungle for Jaguars – it raised £532,000 in the Big Match Fortnight (normally early October) alone and hit the £600,000 target by Christmas, helping to save 8,154 vital acres.  A further 1,818 acres were saved a few months later.