Wildlife Conservation Society partners with Everland to help address the climate and biodiversity crises

March 9, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Wildlife Conservation Society partners with Everland to expand its portfolio of high-impact forest conservation projects to help address the climate and biodiversity crises

WWE

  • Everland will provide financing for and market WCS’s global REDD+ portfolio of up to 15 new projects to reduce deforestation, mitigate climate change, protect wildlife, and support local communities.
  • Projects could generate at least 10 million tons of carbon emission reductions annually with an estimated value of $2 billion over the next decade.
  • WCS REDD+ projects target areas with high positive impacts on biodiversity conservation and local community livelihoods.

A new agreement between the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Everland will scale a portfolio of forest conservation REDD+ projects to achieve at least 10 million tons of verified emission reductions (VERs) annually with an estimated value of $2 billion over the next decade. Everland will provide funding for the creation, development, and implementation of up to 15 REDD+ projects globally, and serve as the exclusive marketing agency for the VERs generated by the projects.

This collaboration with Everland stems from a mutual interest in scaling REDD+ as a mechanism to halt deforestation, mitigate climate change, protect wildlife, and support local communities through market-based carbon financing.

The program builds on WCS’s long history of working on the ground to save wildlife and wild places in nearly 60 countries worldwide. WCS sees REDD+ as a critical tool for fighting climate change and keeping global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius—the target agreed to in the Paris Agreement to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Through this agreement, WCS will facilitate the development of new projects in collaboration with and on land owned or controlled primarily by national governments, as well as local governments, communities, and private landholders.

Consistent with a recent civil society consensus agreement on high-quality tropical forest carbon credits, WCS and Everland share the goal of transitioning from project-based REDD+ support to jurisdictional or national programs or nesting projects within larger-scale programs where they exist and can maximize emission reductions and mitigate climate change impacts.

Everland is a specialized marketing company exclusively representing a portfolio of some of the most impactful REDD+ projects across the globe that protect wildlife and enhance the well-being of local forest communities, including WCS’s flagship REDD+ project in the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary in Cambodia.

The Keo Seima REDD+ project started in 2010 and protects one of the most important remaining intact forests in Cambodia. It is home to the Indigenous Bunong people and has one of the greatest diversities of species in any protected area in Cambodia. The project has issued over 16.7 million VERs by avoiding over 21,500 hectares of forest loss. Last year, the project achieved a long-standing goal: to become financially sustainable through the sale of its VERs. As part of this project, WCS has helped to secure land and resource tenure for local communities, improve protected area management, and establish sustainable alternative livelihoods.

Todd Stevens, Executive Director of the WCS Markets program, said:

“We must eliminate the source of 10 percent of annual global emissions by keeping forests standing. REDD+ is a means for generating the much-needed financial support for on-the-ground forest protection, wildlife conservation, and local communities. We are excited to partner with Everland on this work. They continue to serve an important role in the success of the Keo Seima project, and they share WCS’s values and ambition to scale REDD+ projects that contribute to the nature-positive mitigation action we need.”

Gerald Prolman, Everland’s CEO and co-founder said:

“Since 1895, WCS has established itself as one of the world’s most trusted, respected, and effective wildlife conservation organizations. We are extremely proud to have been chosen as WCS’s exclusive marketing partner and we’re excited to bring 15 new high-impact REDD+ projects to the market. The projects will help meet the surging demand for high-quality VERs that companies can use toward their climate and SDG targets.”

About Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)

WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in nearly 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquariums to achieve its conservation mission. Through understanding critical issues, crafting science-based solutions, and taking conservation actions that benefit nature and humanity, WCS focuses on the biggest challenges facing long-term conservation efforts: climate change, sustainable financing, economic and food security, and data and science gaps. Visit newsroom.wcs.org. Follow @WCSNewsroom.

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Bronx Zoo VIDEO RELEASE: Responsibly Managed Forest Concessions Can Protect Jaguars and Other Mammals

October 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Responsibly Managed Forest Concessions Can Protect Jaguars and Other Mammals

Watch the video:

English Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2FcNSOmmBY

Spanish Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KWUTJY1VH8

WCS Guatemala, in partnership with Wildlife Messengers, produced a video on a study showing how reduced-impact logging, which includes minimizing roads, avoiding sensitive areas and strictly regulating hunting, can have minimal impact on jaguars and other wildlife.

The study, originally published in 2018 by San Diego Zoo Global and WCS, indicates that well-managed forest concessions can maintain important populations of large and medium-sized mammals including large herbivores and large carnivores as long as hunting is controlled, outside access to roads is prohibited, and the volume of timber allowed to be extracted remains low.

The authors of the study say that responsible forest management would therefore be an ideal activity in the buffer zones and multiple use zones of protected areas creating much less impact and conflict than alternatives such as agriculture or cattle ranching while still providing economic opportunities. Forest concessions can also play an important role in maintaining landscape connectivity between protected areas, according to the study’s authors.

The results and video come now an October 22nd event when the President of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei, will extend the contract of three community forest concessions and approve two new community forest concessions in the Maya Biosphere Reserve – a significant conservation milestone for Guatemalan government, the National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP) and the Association of Forest Communities of Petén (ACOFOP).

WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)

MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in nearly 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission.

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“Earth, My Dearest” #NewBook #EarthDayEveryDay

May 4, 2021 by Leave a Comment

“Earth, my dearest, I will. Oh believe me, you no longer need your springtimes to win me over.” —Rainer Maria Rilke

earth day book

A new book, Earth, My Dearest, is an inspirational compilation of over 200 quotes around conservation and sustainability. Hopefully it will inspire people to treat the planet a little more respectfully, and further give inspiration to those who fight to keep the planet livable and healthy for all species.

Highlighting the wonders of our planet and ways on how best we can save it, Earth, My Dearest includes quotes ranging from poet Henry David Thoreau to activist Greta Thunberg. This quote collection will help show all of us how to cherish the environment and key ways to protect our fragile planet moving ahead to an uncertain future.

There is no time like the present to begin your environmentalism or kick it up a notch. We are on borrowed time, with species vanishing literally every day, and much more rainforest is destroyed then is left remaining. If we hope to have a planet, we better start working together and not just SAYING we care, but actually doing things that show that we care.

We need to show our children how much we love them and save their futures.

What have you done today to love your planet?

For inspiration, check the book out here or wherever you buy your books. Have a good day, love to all.

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Breakthrough Study Shows No-take Marine Reserves Benefit Overfished Reefs

May 4, 2021 by Leave a Comment

A powerful, long-term study from WCS adds scientific backing for global calls for conserving 30 percent of the world’s ocean. The studied no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) increased the growth of fish populations by 42 percent when fishing was unsustainable in surrounding areas, achieving the benefits of stable and high production of fish populations for fishers, while protecting threatened ecosystems.

  Findings support global “30 by 30” goal of protecting 30 percent of the ocean by 2030

·       Study published in the journal Marine Policy shows a no-take marine protected area (MPA) in Kenya was able to compensate for overfishing by increasing and maintaining the growth rate of fish populations by 42% over 24 years 

·       Study compared two common fisheries management approaches – protected area closures and fishing gear restrictions

·       Gear restrictions provided short-term benefits to fisheries, while no-take MPAs delivered and maintained better long-term fisheries production and yields

·       This study is further evidence of the value of no-take MPAs to achieve benefits for fish, fishers, communities, and ecosystems

·       WCS advocates for all-ocean management to achieve sustainable fisheries, and supports the global call to protect and conserve at least 30 percent of the global ocean by 2030: wcs.org/cbd

The study recorded fish catches for 24-years across a dozen fish landing sites within two counties in Kenya, which allowed scientists to evaluate the long-term impacts of two different fisheries management methods. While one county utilized a no-take MPA covering 30 percent of the fishery, the other focused on gear restrictions and prohibited the use of small-mesh nets.

The differences in outcomes for the fishers and the ecosystems were stark. Per-person daily catches rose 25 times faster near the no-take MPA than in fished areas with gear restrictions, showing that no-take MPAs were far more effective at sustaining stocks of fish than restricting destructive gear.

The study’s lead author Dr. Tim McClanahan, Senior Coral Reef Scientist for WCS said “The no-take area in Mombasa occupied 30 percent of the studied fishing grounds. Fortuitously, this  is the target for protection being proposed for the oceans, which is rarely tested and based on the results of simulation models. The empirical support for the models and the conservation proposal is reassuring along with the unexpected results of  increased production of fish populations that compensated for the lost fishing area. This adds to the evidence that no-take protected areas of sufficient coverage may compensate for the lost fishing grounds, particularly when fisheries are not sustainably fished.”

This new study from WCS represents the longest-ever continuous detailed fish catch record for coral reefs, and reveals patterns that took nearly 20 years to unfold due to the small annual increments of change. The time and resources it takes to complete these empirical studies has long been an impediment to testing the effectiveness of no-take MPAs on fisheries, and is also why simulation models were commonly used. Until this publication, most existing empirical studies were short-term and focused on the catch per fisher rather than the catch per area, which is a critical metric of sustainable yield estimates. Consequently, there is a compelling need to expand long-term studies to better calibrate and test fisheries production models.

This study shows that MPAs where no-take rules are followed can compensate for lost fishing grounds and stocks and therefore help people highly dependent on fish for income and nutritional security that is lost when catches are unsustainable. While gear restrictions did have positive benefits for short periods of time, they did not maximize fisheries production over the long-term. Some combination of closure and gear restrictions are therefore likely needed to achieve the full benefits to both fishers and ecosystems.

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Important Updates on Campaign to Stop NJ Transit’s Power Plant

September 24, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Our campaign to stop the NJ TRANSIT fracked gas power plant and win a renewable rail alternative is building momentum.

This week, Union City, West New York, and Weehawken all passed resolutions in opposition to the NJ TRANSIT power plant! Six of twelve Hudson County towns have now passed resolutions, bringing our total to 13 resolutions! Our power is growing, especially in the areas that will face some of the worst effects from this pollution nightmare.

We’ve also been busy meeting with our state legislators and generating hundreds of emails and phone calls into their offices.  And after so many of us spoke out at NJ TRANSIT’s virtual board meetings over the past several months, including a fiery exchange of questions from Paula, Logan and Bill at their most recent September meeting, NJ Transit finally agreed to set up a meeting with our coalition!

Our campaign is working, but now is the time to turn the pressure up and defeat this project for good! Will you sign up to take on a volunteer shift with Don’t Gas the Meadowlands? Sign up here: http://bit.ly/DGTMVolunteer

It’s critical that we continue to engage residents around the proposed power plant site to grow our base of support and to pressure the representatives from these frontline communities to join us in publicly opposing the power plant. 

On Monday Governor Murphy signed landmark environmental justice legislation that will help keep new polluting projects out of overburdened communities.  Since this law will not go into effect for another 12-24 months, we must hold Governor Murphy accountable to his commitments to end environmental racism and fight climate catastrophe by stopping the NJ Transit Power Plant and investing our taxpayer money into a renewable energy alternative for public transit resiliency.

As we continue to see worsening effects of climate change throughout our country and world, it is imperative that we continue to pressure Governor Murphy to end fossil fuel expansion projects and make NJ a leader in moving quickly to a renewable energy future. We hope you can join us this Saturday in Red Bank or virtually from your home as we call on the Governor to enact a moratorium on all fossil fuel projects in our state.

Please visit http://bit.ly/paddle4futureNJ to learn more and to RSVP for Saturday’s Rally and Paddle for our Future!

Our movement is growing, and together we will win! But it’s critical that we keep up the pressure. Can you sign up to volunteer with Don’t Gas the Meadowlands? 

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#GivingTuesday is upon us, think about #Riverkeeper

November 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Giving Tuesday is less than 24 hours away! As you think about which organizations you’ll support tomorrow, we hope that Riverkeeper will make your list.

Giving Tuesday is a critical day when you can fight for a healthy Hudson River and safe drinking water in 2019. We’ve made it easy for you to participate and encourage your friends and family to become Riverkeeper members, too!

1. Donate at Riverkeeper.org/GivingTuesday
2. Create your own #GivingTuesday Fundraiser for Riverkeeper on Facebook (Facebook does not charge any fees on donations made through its platform, and has pledged to match the first $7 million in donations starting at 8am EST on 11/27)
3. Share our fundraiser with  your friends and family on Facebookand Twitter

From contacting your elected officials and reporting Hudson River pollution to volunteering for the Riverkeeper Sweep or sampling water quality, everything you do makes a difference for the Hudson.

It would mean so much if you would support Riverkeeper in the fight for a resilient Hudson River on Giving Tuesday.

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#GivingTuesday NY/NY Baykeepers, Clean Water Action

November 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Each and every day, our small but mighty group here at NY/NJ Baykeeper works to protect, preserve and restore our local waterways and habitats. From the Raritan Bay to Jamaica Bay and throughout the rivers and streams of the NY-NJ Harbor Estuary, we will continue to fight for a better tomorrow. 

Please consider standing in solidarity with our mission on #Giving Tuesday, 11/27!

#GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities in countries around the world. Millions of people have come together to support and champion the causes they believe in and the communities in which they live. Please visit nynjbaykeeper.org/about-us/how-to-donate/  for more information and to donate!

You can also shop and help support NY/NJ Baykeeper all at the same time! Just start your Amazon shopping at smile.amazon.com and designate Raritan Baykeeper, Inc. as your charity of choice- 0.5% of the price of your purchases will be donated to NY/NJ Baykeeper at no cost to you! Check out Tobi.com and designate NY/NJ Baykeeper as your charity of choice and Tobi.com will donate a portion of your purchase back to us!

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Volunteers Set to Restore Public Lands from Coast to Coast

September 20, 2018 by Leave a Comment

On September 22, 2018, volunteers are expected to turn out in droves at parks, forests, beaches, rivers, and other public lands throughout the country to celebrate the 25th annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD). Organized each year by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), National Public Lands Day promotes the connection between people and the environment by inviting everyone to get outside. With support from NPLD national corporate sponsor Toyota, eight federal agency partners, hundreds of state and local partners, and dozens of nonprofit organizations, National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort.

“Whether it’s an iconic place like Yellow Stone National Park, the soccer fields down the street, or a strip of greenspace in the middle of the city, our nation’s public lands offer limitless opportunities for recreation and relaxation,” said NEEF President Meri-Margaret Deoudes. “National Public Lands Day is the perfect opportunity to spend the day outside with friends and family, caring for and enjoying these special places.”

The theme for this year’s National Public Lands Day is restoration and resilience. On National Public Lands Day, more than 200,000 volunteers are expected to turn out for trail maintenance and planting projects, trash pick-ups, and other refurbishing activities aimed at restoring public lands and making them more resilient. The day will also feature a variety of education, health, and recreation activities—all set on the backdrop of the country’s public lands and waterways.

“Natural disasters and extreme weather, human activities, and a host of other factors wreak havoc on our public lands and threaten the health and wellbeing of the people and wildlife who depend on them,” said Deoudes, noting that in 2017, weather and climate disasters caused more than $306 billion in damages—the highest annual cost in U.S. history. “If we want to continue to enjoy all the benefits these outdoor spaces have to offer, we have to help care for, restore and work to make these special places more resilient to future threats.”

NEEF is partnering with the National Park Service (NPS) and Toyota to host a signature NPLD event at Big Thicket National Preserve, which suffered extensive damages last August when Hurricane Harvey blew through the 113,000 acres of land and water spread over seven counties in Southeast Texas. Over the past year, park officials and volunteers have mounted a steady clean-up effort, but some areas still need help. NPS plans to mobilize volunteer support during NPLD 2018 to restore areas that have remaining storm damage and debris.

A sample of other restoration and resilience activities planned for NPLD 2018 includes:

  • At Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, located in the northeastern corner of Washington, D.C. at the Maryland state border, National Public Lands Day has been a mainstay event since 2001. This year, more than 200 volunteers are expected to turn out for trail maintenance, litter removal, and other restoration activities. A highlight of the event is clearing out the site’s water lily ponds and preparing them for the harsh winter weather. In a few hours, NPLD volunteers typically knock out work it would take staff months to complete.
  • Climbers in Yosemite National Park are poised to give the giant cliffs their annual facelift. Members of the Yosemite Climbing Association are planning a massive clean-up effort around National Public Lands Day to remove the wear and tear visitors and nature take on this iconic park each year. Last year, more than 1,400 Yosemite Facelift volunteers contributed a total of 9,692 hours and collected 14,762 pounds of trash.
  • Volunteers at the Plumb Beach Clean Up at Gateway National Recreation Area, just three miles east of New York’s Coney Island on Jamaica Bay, will help revitalize precious marine habitat and salt marshes. Naturalists will also be on site to educate volunteers about the creatures that live in the Bay.

More than 2,000 volunteer projects will take place throughout the nation, including 40 sites where Toyota team members volunteer.

“National Public Lands Day provides meaningful opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to give back to public lands in communities across the nation,” said Kevin Butt, Toyota Motor North America’s general manager of environmental sustainability. “Through our collective action, we can help contribute to the creation of a more sustainable future.” The company’s participation in NPLD supports the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050.

National Public Lands Day is a fee-free day for most federal sites as well as many state parks. Participating federal sites reward volunteers with a coupon good for free entry to any public land managed by one of the NPLD federal partners any time before National Public Lands Day 2019.

To learn more about National Public Lands Day or search for an event on NEEF’s interactive map, log on to NEEFUSA.org/NPLD.

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