Frequently Asked Questions about the World Land Trust
How big is an acre?
Use our area converter to find out.
How is the World Land Trust different?
WLT always work through local partners. The Trust does not own any land abroad and does not put its own staff in charge of operations.
More on how the WLT is different
Common questions about donating to WLT
Donations related questions are all answered on our Help & Advice page.
A: Supporting the World Land Trust - why and how?
B: Buying an acre - what does it entail?
C: Finances - where does the money go?
D: Land purchase - why and how?
E: How does the WLT operate? Who do you work with?
F: Can I work or volunteer for the WLT?
G: Other questions
If you can't find the answer you were looking for, contact
the WLT and we will do our best to help.
A: Supporting the World Land Trust - why and how?
1: Why Save Acres with the World Land Trust?
By saving acres with the WLT you will be taking direct action to save tropical forests and other important wildlife areas, by funding the purchase of threatened habitats. The acres you buy are protected as nature reserves, owned and managed by local organisations. See the How we work page for more details on how the Trust operates.
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2: How is the WLT different to the other organisations buying rainforest?
When we started the Programme for Belize, we were the only organisation in Britain 'buying' rainforest. Because of the success of this way of saving rainforest and other habitats, several other organisations have now adopted this as a method of fundraising. Most of them are doing a great job, and we really do welcome their involvement - there is a lot of rainforest and other habitats that need saving and the more people doing it the better. However, because it has been successful there are also some organisations that have seen it as 'bandwagon' and an easy way to raise funds. Before making any charitable donation you should check the charity thoroughly - look at its annual report and accounts, see who the staff are, what their experience is, see who the Trustees are, and what they know about conservation - all fairly obvious and easy to do.
These are some of the ways in which the WLT differs
from other conservation organisations:
"WLT doesn't own a square inch of land overseas. Rather, it has consistently supported partner organisations in other countries [...]. As a result, 350,000 acres of land overseas are managed for conservation by organisations in the appropriate country."
Simon Barnes, from " Saved: the wildest place on earth", The Times, June 18, 2008
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3: How can I get my friends raising funds
for you?
There is a very good website, already used by many WLT supporters, that allows you to set up your own fundraising campaign: Justgiving.com. You can use it to ask friends to make donations instead of wedding gifts, sponsor you in a marathon, or support any other fundraising ideas you have. The site is easy to use - so why not give it a go?
For more details abut fundraising for WLT you can also contact the WLT.
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B: Buying an acre - what does it entail?
4: When I buy an acre of rainforest
or other habitat, what does that mean?
The acres of threatened habitat we 'sell' are real acres in real places, but you do not actually own it. The land is always owned and managed by the WLT's Local Partners in the countries
where we operate.
The price of £50 an acre is an average. We have worked out, what we consider to be a fair average, taking into account the costs of actual purchase (legal fees, taxes etc). See How is £50 per acre figure arrived at? for more information.
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5: How will I know where 'my' acre is located and can I visit it?
You can specify in which project area you would like to save acres and you can certainly visit the area you have helped
save, though we do not identify individual acres. As projects get
established, basic field stations are built to enable small groups
to visit. See Visit WLT's Conservation Projects for more information.
For donations of £5,000
and over we can identify a specific area that the funds have saved.
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6: In which project areas will my £50 save One Acre?
A donation of £50 will save one acre, on average, in Misiones (Argentina), Ecuador, Paraguay and Brazil. Or donate to the Buy an Acre Fund and your donation will be used in the project area where it is most urgently needed among the projects where £50 saves an acre.
In our project areas in Malaysian Borneo, India and Kenya land prices are much more expensive and variable and we are therefore unable to specify in advance how many acres your donation will buy. However, rest assured that your donation to these projects will be used for land purchase and protection and nothing else.
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C: Finances - where does the money go?
7: How is £50 per acre figure arrived at?
The price of £50 an acre is an average. This is because not only do land values vary geographically, but they also vary locally. Access to roads, whether or not there is forest, or if they have been cleared for cattle ranching all affect the price. So we have worked out, what we consider to be a fair average, taking into account the costs of actual purchase (legal fees, taxes etc) but not including long-term management and protection. In some parts of South America our partners are able to buy land very cheaply, and it in those projects area where we offer our supporters the chance to save an acre for £50.
It is a complex issue, and for donors making large donations we are always happy to discuss an individual project and what the exact costs are. But rest assured, donors 'buying' half an acre, one acre or five acres: £50 really does, on average, save an acre.
In other parts of the world land is very much more expensive and land prices vary enormously, which means that for our projects in those areas we are unable to specify in advance how many acres your donation will save.
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8: Why are not all projects £50 an acre?
How much land your donation will save depends on the project area: In some parts of South America our partners are able to buy land very cheaply. In other parts of the world land is very much more expensive and land prices vary enormously. For donations to these areas we don't always know in advance how many acres your donation will be able to buy. What we can guarantee, is that your donation will be used for land purchase and protection and nothing else. Your donation is saving real acres in real places, permanently - it is not a limited sponsorship, or 'adoption' of a piece of land sold over and over again.
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9: How do I know where my
donation goes? And what percentage of it will go on administration?
The WLT estimates that
it spends on average 15% on overheads, and is always working to keep
this as low as possible. This average compares particularly well with
donations made to Universities and Governments who often take up to
as much as 40% to 50% for overheads.
WLT is completely open about
its finances and unlike many other charities, publishes summaries
of its finances on its website, so you can see where your money actually
goes. See our financial page for more information.
You can
also see what donations are spent on by visiting the reserves saved by the World Land Trust and its partners.
Other information
is published in Annual Reports and Accounts, WLT News, and eBulletins.
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10: Why has the WLT not signed up to the FundRaising Standards Board?
The WLT considered this very carefully, but the code we would be signing up to is exceptionally long and complex, and consequently very difficult to understand. Furthermore it is a voluntary code, with no real methods of enforcement, which we believe is a major weakness. We do not believe that self regulation by fundraisers is an effective way of ensuring high standards.
We believe that the standards we set are much higher than many other fundraisers, and that the standards we work to are those appreciated by our supporters. However we will continue to monitor the activities of the FRSB and will reconsider on a regular basis, if it is shown to be effective.
The WLT does not actually employ fundraisers, as we believe that everyone that works with us, or for us, in one way or another is a fundraiser. We believe that the best way of raising funds is to be efficient and do what you are good at.
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11: How does WLT use affiliate websites for advertising?
Some other websites include links to the WLT in return for a small commission on any donations resulting from clicks on those links. These links help the WLT reach a wider audience in a cost-effective way. Commissions are paid out of the WLT's general funds and not out of the funds restricted to land purchase projects, so you can rest assured that however you found the WLT, your donation will be used for our conservation projects and nothing else.
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D: Land purchase - why and how?
12: Why are you buying land
- isn't it best to work with local people?
This question addresses two important points.
First, the World Land Trust itself owns no land outside the UK, and has a strict policy that includes local
people in all its projects. Before a project is initiated WLT identifies
a local partner organisation with whom a Memorandum of Understanding
is signed and a work programme agreed. Ownership of the land purchased is with this partner organisation, not the WLT.
WLT is responsible for fundraising
and overseeing the project in the early stages and the local organisation
works with the local community to achieve the conservation goals.
Support from local government is also a top priority. Local people
are employed as park wardens and, when possible, local scientists
are used to carry out research at the project sites; also volunteers
from nearby towns and universities are invited to take part in projects
to conserve their native land and wildlife.
Secondly, why buy the
land? There is much debate about the 'correct' way to conserve land,
and we do recognise that land purchase is only one of the several
methods that can ensure the survival of threatened habitats. However,
the WLT feels that ownership of land gives a great deal more control
over its future than other forms of protection, and, once purchased,
the land belongs to the local organisations who take over the responsibility
for its protection. See Land Purchase as a Tool for Conservation for more details on our land purchase policy.
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13: What happens to the land
after it has been bought?
A management plan is developed by the WLT and
its local partner, aimed at securing legal protection for the land.
Each project, because of its urgency and degree of threat, comes with
a different set of problems, and so the solutions for each will differ,
but long term conservation of the land and its wildlife is always
the key objective.
In addition to land protection, the WLT also helps
develop forms of sustainable and environmentally friendly income activity
for the local community. This might be ecotourism, crafts or sustainable
forestry on the land, with a view to assisting the project to become
an independent entity and not reliant on further funds from the Trust.
After this, the project continues to be managed by the local partner,
leaving WLT to fundraise to save more threatened land elsewhere.
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14: How can you ensure that
the land is adequately protected and not used and/or destroyed by
people after it has been purchased?
Unfortunately there is no single answer to this
question. As mentioned above, because each project presents its unique
problems we need to find different ways of ensuring protection. The
essential element of all our operations is that we work with local
people, and enthuse them about 'their' habitats and 'their' wildlife.
By involving local conservationists and local communities we reduce
the risks of encroachment considerably; they know the local situation
and can head off any potential conflicts. If there is occasional incursion into
the forests this is quickly dealt with by the park wardens who
are familiar with the borders.
We believe that maintaining an active
and visible presence, through wardens and researchers, and providing
jobs for local people, is an effective method to ensure
long-term security. And of course, the purchase of the land ensures
that our local partners have clear title to the land, so that any
encroachment would be illegal.
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15: Shouldn't you be saving
land in the UK, rather than abroad?
Britain has an extensive network of protected
areas, and the costs of acquisition of new ones are very high. There
are also already in existence numerous organisations devoted to conserving
land in Britain. It is worth noting that a new 15,000-acre reserve
in Britain could cost between £6 and £60 million while
the WLT funded the purchase of a similar sized ranch in Patagonia for £1/4million. WLT does have one small UK reserve at Kites Hill, but this was generously gifted to us and did not involve purchase costs.
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E: How does the WLT operate? Who do you work with?
16: How do you decide where
to buy land?
This is largely opportunistic. Through research
and contacts throughout the world, the Trust learns when land becomes
available which is in direct threat of habitat destruction. For example,
when WLT Hon. President, Jerry Bertrand, was leading an eco-tour through Patagonia, he discovered that there were vast stretches of coastline,
relatively untouched and rich in wildlife in Patagonia. He also witnessed
firsthand the demise of much of the coastal steppe for unsympathetic
development, as land became available due to the crash in the price
of wool on the world market. Patagonia's coastline and steppe are
extraordinarily rich in wildlife and this was clearly an emergency
that needed to be addressed.
Every potential project which comes to WLT (and
there are up to twenty in any year) is put through an evaluation process,
based on a set of project selection
criteria agreed by WLT Trustees, including the biodiversity value,
the level of threat, and possible risks associated. The evaluation
ensures that the land being purchased is of high conservation value
and that it is appropriate for WLT to become involved.
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17: Do you work with other
organisations?
Yes, always. The World Land Trust is a member of IUCN
- the World Conservation Union, and all its projects are carried out
with local non-government organisations (NGOs). The World Land Trust
has an extensive network and is able to establish new partnerships
almost anywhere in the world. We have also been helped by British
companies assisting with study tours for our Partners.
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18: Should this be the responsibility
of Governments? Why is it left to individuals?
In many parts of the world, governments simply
do not have the funds to adequately protect land they already own.
Many developing countries are heavily in debt to the developed world,
and we all share a responsibility for ensuring that the world's wildlife
survives into the future. Wherever possible we try to ensure that
we have the support of the local government and we are working particularly closely with the government of Paraguay..
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19: How was the World Land Trust
started?
In January 1989, the Massachusetts Audubon Society
made a grant of US$10,000 (approx. £6,670) to John Burton to
set up an office in the UK, for the sole purpose of raising funds
for a brand new project concept: Programme
for Belize. The target was to double the original US$10,000 by
the end of the year, but by the time of the official launch, in May,
when the late Gerald Durrell, and his wife, Lee, came over from Jersey
to officiate, £25,000 had already been raised. The charity was
formed and subsequently became World Land Trust.
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20: How come your office is
in Halesworth, if you are an international organisation? Why aren't
you based in London?
With modern communications the location of an
office is relatively unimportant. Phone, fax and email mean that we
can be in contact with our partners in Patagonia or Philippines or
anywhere else in the world, just as easily from rural Suffolk as London.
The WLT finds that there are considerable advantages to its rural
location, mainly in that running costs of an office are dramatically
less in Suffolk. Staff salaries are also lower, due to
the relative cost of living, but quality of life is much better. The
extra costs of regular visits (by train) to London for meetings, is
easily offset by the reduction in other costs.
Finally, we are based in an area with lots of nature reserves, where we can actually see and appreciate the wildlife we all consider so important to save.
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F: Can I work or volunteer for the WLT?
21: Are there any jobs going
with the WLT?
The WLT is a relatively small organisation, and our
staff turnover is extremely low. Available positions are posted on our vacancies page. We rarely send paid members of staff to our overseas projects as we
feel it is important to employ local people.
From time to time we have vacancies
for interns and volunteers, to work at the WLT office in Suffolk, UK.
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22: Can I volunteer to work
overseas with your projects?
The World Land Trust does not run general volunteer
programmes at our project areas. Instead, we prefer to give opportunities
to local students and people from local communities to encourage enthusiasm
for their own forests and wildlife.
Very occasionally, the World Land Trust is asked by one of it's project
partners to recruit an international volunteer, to acquire a specialist
skill not available locally. These skills have been very varied -
from drainage engineers, skilled builders, and marketing experts.
These opportunities will be advertised on our vacancies page as and when they arise.
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23: Can I do
a gap year project overseas with the WLT?
The World Land Trust does not have programmes
for gap year students, as these are rarely beneficial to the local
organisations. We prefer to support local students, rather than send
out overseas visitors. We do however, have a comprehensive
internship programme for graduates, and also a Diploma in Conservation and Project Administration run jointly with the University of East Anglia.
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G: Other questions
24: Can I get a grant
from the World Land Trust?
The World Land Trust does not give grants to individuals,
and does not support expeditions. Grants are normally only made to
NGOs with a good track record of land management. Before applying
to the WLT it is essential to have read the Projects Criteria.
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25: How can I contact
Sir David Attenborough?
Sir David asks us to let enquirers know that he receives so much mail that sometimes it is impossible for him to respond. He is generally booked up many months in advance, and has an extremely busy filming schedule so is generally unable to accept invitations to speak at events and conferences. As you may expect, he is bombarded with requests and consequently we are reluctant to pass on letters. If you really believe your wish to contact him is important then you can write to him c/o the WLT and we will forward the letter.
Please see the address below. (Please note that we can only forward actual letters, not emails and we cannot guarantee a response.)
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26: Can the World
Land Trust supply speakers on conservation?
Unfortunately because we are a very small organisation
it is generally not possible, although if you have managed to raise
£1,000 or more we will do our best to come to you. Also, from
time to time we do have interns and other volunteers who are prepared
to give talks. Please bear in mind the travel involved from East Suffolk,
and also the time involved. Our main function is to raise funds for
our projects, and consequently if it involves a long journey it often
costs more than an event will raise.
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Contact us for more information
If you have any other questions,
we will do out best to answer them. You could also write to The Editor
of WLT News for the 'Dear WLT' letters page if you would like feedback
from other supporters. Please contact us at:
World Land Trust
Blyth House
Bridge Street
Halesworth
IP19 8AB
UK
Tel (UK only): 0845 054 4422 (charged at local rate from
landlines)
Tel (international callers): +44 (0)1986 874422
Fax: +44 (0)1986 874425
Email: info@worldlandtrust.org
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+44 (0)1986 874422