Working with nature, for the survival of everything that is important to us | A Letter From World Land Trust | Our Charity Partners

April 2020

Dear WLT Supporter,

Working with nature, for the survival of everything that is important to us

As we go to press the full impact of COVID-19 is emerging day by day. When | joined WLT as CEO in September last year fires were raging in the Amazon and at the close of the year the true horror of Australia’s fire was unfurling. As these fires have made brutally clear, the climate emergency is increasing in scale and intensity. The Coronavirus, which most likely emanated from wildlife trade, now further reminds us that we disregard nature at our peril. The climate crisis and the added threat of a pandemic threatens everyone who inhabits our planet. 

Most people hadn't seen Coronavirus coming, but we have long known about the risks of emergent epidemic diseases and the climate crisis. And perhaps some good will still come out of this current predicament. With people across the world reducing their carbon impact, either forcibly or voluntarily, we have already seen a huge cut in carbon emissions, and perhaps this can pave the way for a more enlightened existence in the future. There is also good news from China where laws are being amended and regulated to control the country’s massive wildlife trade in order to prevent future epidemics. This is a win for biodiversity - and the human race. 

  I can’t say that World Land Trust can in any way address the almost insurmountable twin /challenges of a pandemic and climate change. But if we, and the world as we know it, are to survive, then we must recognise that we are dependent on the diversity of species that live on Earth with us. WLT projects have an important role to play in this. The reserves and their wildlife that you have helped us save over the past 30 years are permanently protected by our local conservation partners. While these reserves are not 100 per cent safe from external impacts, we do know that nature is amazingly resilient, and our partners are dedicated. Given time, habitats can spring back and be restored, and endangered species can be brought back from the brink of extinction. 

Although many of our appeals focus on keystone species such as Jaguar, orang-utans, elephants and manatees, by protecting their habitats it also ensures the survival of the other species that make up their ecological community. Our new appeal in Colombia, saving the wonderful Barbacoas’ Forests and Wetlands, is anther rare opportunity to save an incredible habitat full of a huge range of threatened wildlife. With your help we are committed to saving Endangered Spider Monkeys, Lowland Tapirs and Blue-billed Curassows in Colombia) and as much of the world’s natural habitats and their wildlife as we can.

WLT has many success stories: from the 881,000 acres that have been purchased i protected since 1989, to the 39,000 trees planted in 2019, to the 49 rangers funded last year by Keepers of the Wild) These, and the thousands of acres under the protection of our partners, are effectively helping combat climate charge. You have helped this happen. 

I know these are uncertain times but | hope you, our supporters, will take inspiration from the incredible dedication of our partners, who show that working with nature, not against it, is the best way to protect our world, and with it ourselves . 

Thank you again and all of us at World Land Trust send our thoughts and very best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Jonathan Barnard

Chief Executive