World Land Trust

The World Land Trust (formerly the World Wide Land Conservation Trust) is a UK-based nonprofit environmental organization established in 1989. Its primary aims are to ensure conservation of plants, animals and natural communities in areas at risk.^[2] For this purpose, it privately funds the purchase of large tracts of land by local NGOs for the purposes of protecting it, in a fashion similar to the Nature Conservancy by making use of land trusts. The organization also seeks to help in-situ conservation measures by providing training, capital and equipment for environmental stewardship in economically backward areas. The World Land Trust also offers to offset the carbon emissions of individuals and businesses and runs a widespread tree planting operation. It is affiliated to the World Conservation Union. The noted environmentalist John Burton is the CEO of the Trust.

A short history

The World Land Trust came into being in 1989 when the Programme for Belize was launched to raise money to privately buy land in Belize to protect tropical rain forests. The core of the trust was a $10,000 start up donation from the Massachusetts Audubon Society to John Burton, for the purposes of setting up an office in the United Kingdom for the trust. Initial appeals were made in the BBC Wildlife magazine and were followed up with support from noted naturalists Gerald Durrell and his wife Lee Durrell. Between that time and now, the Trust has developed to help purchase and conserve land in over 20 countries worldwide ^[3] and now has an annual income of over £3.4 million to fund land purchase and conservation in 2013.^[1]

The Trust has maintained its links with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust; Lee Durrell remains a key supporter.^[4] The Trust's patrons are Sir David Attenborough, Chris Packham, and David Gower.^[5] Other high profile supporters of the Trust have included Ken Livingstone, David Bellamy, Bill Oddie, Tony Hawks, Will Self and Mark Carwardine.^[6][7]

A partner organization, World Land Trust - US [formerly World Parks Endowment] was also created in 1989.

Projects

Current Projects^[8]

• Tropical Forest Conservation in Ecuador, working with Fundacion Jocotoco,^[9] Fundacion EcoMinga and Pro Bosques
• Atlantic Rainforest Conservation in Brazil working with REGUA
• Wild Lands Elephant Corridor Project in India, working with Wildlife Trust of India
• Chaco Pantanal Reserve in Paraguay, with Guyra Paraguay
• Grasslands in the Kinangop Highlands of Kenya with [www.naturekenya.org/ Nature Kenya]
• Orangutan corridors in Borneo with LEAP
• Patagonia Restoration Fund, on the Ranch of Hopes Wildlife Refuge, previously purchased with funds raised by WLT, working with Fundacion Patagonia Natural
• Friends of Belize working with Programme for Belize on the protection of their lands, much of which was funded with the help of World Land Trust
• Danjugan Island Support Fund, Philippines WLT funded the purchase of the island and now liaises with the Philippine Reef & Rainforest Conservation Foundation (based on Negros Island) on its protection.
• Carbon Restoration. WLT undertakes a range of restoration ecology projects (for instance, in Vietnam and Mexico^[8]), with funds raised through Carbon Balancing on behalf of companies and individuals.
• Kites Hill Reserve, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, was donated to the Trust and is managed as a nature reserve.

Previous projects

• Management of the conservatory Wyld Court (now The Living Rainforest) - a tropical forest exhibit, in Hampstead Norreys^[10]

External links

• Official website of the trust

References