Diary style blog by John Burton, CEO of the World Land Trust about what WLT has to do to achieve conservation, as it actually happens.

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Green Diary

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009:

Towards greater transparency 

As part of the WLT's ongoing quest for transparency and clarity, we decided to put summaries of the main decisions of the quarterly Council Meetings on the website. I am sure somewhere out there in cyberspace other organisations do it as well. But I have not found any.

I think it would be a good idea to encourage this, as I believe that donors deserve no less. These will now appear regularly and your feedback would be very welcome. I would also like to know if anyone has spotted another charity doing it.

Posted by John Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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Monday, May 25, 2009:

A normal day in the office: From pig feeding to paper-trails 

A few people have asked me what a normal day in the office comprises. So here is an attempt to give an idea of a 'typical' day for me, when working in our Suffolk HQ.

Feeding Miranda and Wilson, WLT's recycling team.


WLT's Halesworth headquarters


We often have visiting partners working with us in the office. This is Roberto Pedraza, from Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda, Mexico.

The day starts around 7am, and after a quick breakfast my wife Viv (WLT's Head of Communications) and I have to feed and check our livestock (pets really, comprising three llamas, four sheep, Araucana Bantams, Black Rock hens, Japanese quails, Norfolk Bronze Turkeys, and two German Micro x Kune Kune pigs). Then it's a five-minute drive to the office. I know we should cycle or walk, but there never seems to be that extra bit of time, and the road from home to the office is very narrow, and rather dangerous.

We normally arrive around half past eight, and I usually have somewhere around 40-60 emails waiting for response. And during the course of the day another 60+ will arrive. About half the emails are internal from staff, and most of these are copies, just to keep me informed as to what is going on. The emails form the rest of the world vary enormously; some are enquiries about specific projects, many are from our partners giving us updates on land purchase, new sightings of wildlife, and of course, meetings with sponsors and donors to be arranged.

By about 9.30 am I have got through the majority of the emails, and then I usually have a half hour or so with each of the project team members.

Interruptions are pretty well continuous throughout the day, with incoming phonecalls, but I do like to be available. Nothing annoys me more than when I am contacting other organisations to be constantly told he or she 'is in a meeting'. As far as I am concerned donors, whether or not they a re individuals or major corporates, are always a priority. Without them we would not be able to support our partners.

Most days I have to discuss arrangements relating to contact with our partner organisations. Planning overseas visits to their projects is amazingly time-consuming and complex, and coordinating their activities when they are visiting England is equally complex. Our partners come over to meet with donors, but also to see other organisations to find out more about how they operate. And most important of all, they get to see local nature reserves like Minsmere, to see how these are managed.

At some stage on a normal day I have to devote time to the finances. Checking that we are on track is not done every day, but almost every day I am in the office there are invoices to be approved, and as we get more and more partners, there are more and more transfers to our partners overseas.

Being a charity means that the paperwork behind our finances is quite extensive. All transfers overseas have to have a paper-trail that not only fully complies with charity legislation, but also takes into account the money laundering legislation. All this requires quite a lot of signing, plus it all has to be sent to Trustees for counter-signature. Very few donors like supporting the admin of a charity, but unfortunately there is a lot of it, and not much we can do to reduce it, since it is imposed on us by law.

In between meetings, I often dash off a quick blog, such as this one (I tend to think them up when walking the dogs), which helps keep our supporters informed of what's going on.

During the course of the rest of the day, I will need to meet with the donations department, just to make sure that the income is coming in, followed by meeting with the web and IT team. The web is our life-blood, with almost all new corporate supporters having found the WLT through its website. Apart from managing the Trust's own websites they monitor and connect with supporters on social networking sites, update our fundraising pages on JustGiving.com and respond to feedback from our supporters.

Then there is our carbon and restoration ecology work. I am working in the background with the restoration ecology team to put together facts and figures about concrete and cement. Everyone worries about carbon from flights, but the building industry, and even DIY, make a huge contribution to CO2. This came to me as I went past the site of the London Olympics on a train a few weeks ago. Thousands of tonnes of aggregates being trucked in, millions of bags of cement.

I rarely manage to leave much before 5.30, and then it's time to take the dogs for a walk. That's often when Viv and I catch up with what we have both been doing.

Posted by John Monday, May 25, 2009
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Friday, May 22, 2009:

Meetings, meetings, meetings -- and some Natterjack Toads 

Thursday was another typical day of meetings in London, catching the 9.30 train, to see a Foundation that supports some of our work, followed by a meeting with a new potential corporate sponsor, then talks with our PR company, followed by another meeting with a donor, to discuss fund raising for the Atlantic Rainforests in Argentina, where we have just made a down payment, and aim to raise a further $400,000 by the end of the year. And so to the train, getting back at just before 10 in the evening.

But the night before was something else. I collected writer and WLT Council member Simon Barnes and we drove over to Westleton Heath, getting there around 9.45. As we stepped out of the car, a Nightjar was churring, and a Nightingale was singing in the distance. There was an odd call, we couldn't make out, and a few minutes later some Natterjack toads started to call. The odd call came to life -- it was Stone Curlew. Pretty good we all thought. Then to crown it, a Bittern started booming. Half an hour later we set off home, and had a perfect view of Little Owl.

To me it was some sort of record to see and hear so many nocturnal birds (and a toad).

Have you had a similar experience? Let us know!

Posted by John Friday, May 22, 2009
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Thursday, May 21, 2009:

To Eurostar and back 

Most of Tuesday was spent on a visit to Eurostar HQ in Ashford, Kent. Ironically, I had to drive, as going by train from East Anglia to Ashford by train would have taken over twice as long, as by car. I went there to give presentations to the team who work in the Eurostar Frequent Traveller department, as the Frequent Travellers are to be given the option of using their points to support World Land Trust projects.

I have never had such an enthusiastic reception from a group of corporate supporters -- a total of around 25 staff, and all seemed really enthused by our work, and keen to promote us as best they could. I really look forward to working with them all, and I know that they will all be signing up to our newsletters, news feeds etc. to ensure they're up to speed with our work in case their customers ask. And of course, Eurostar and rail travel in general are very natural partners for an environmentally aware traveller.

Exciting news for me was that soon it will be easy to make a highspeed connection from England to Amsterdam via Brussels. Since we work closely with Netherlands Committee for IUCN, this is good news for both organisations.

Posted by John Thursday, May 21, 2009
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Tuesday, May 19, 2009:

Rainforests and other, less 'sexy' bird habitats: How to look after 'our' birds 

Concern about the future of the rainforests has never been higher, but still the destruction continues. And then there is the destruction of all the other important wildlife habitats that do not get so much publicity. Over a million hectares of the Paraguayan Chaco have been ploughed up by farmers, but this area consist of dry Savannah, grasslands and scrubs, a habitat significantly less 'attractive' to the media and potential donors than lush, tropical rainforest.

The Paraguayan Chaco: Less appealing to donors than tropical rainforest?


Sharpe's Longclaw, a bird relying entirely on good quality grassland habitat in Kenya. (© Charlie Moores/ 10000birds.com)

While much of the Chaco is still productive farmlands, a lot is now very degraded, as I saw when flying over recently. Being such a dry habitat, it is very vulnerable to desertification. And in Africa, the similar degradation of the sub-Saharan Sahel region is undoubtedly one of the main factors contributing to the decline of many of Europe's migrant birds. And this decline is truly alarming.

I have been birdwatching for over 50 years, and species that were once common are now rarities. As a schoolboy I remember hearing cuckoos every year in the parks and suburban gardens of London. Last year I didn't hear one in rural Suffolk. (I did hear one last weekend in Norfolk). Wheatears, and Yellow wagtails are just a two of the birds that I now consider rarities, and red-backed shrikes, which I once saw breeding in south London park are now extinct in southern England. All birds that run the gauntlet of habitat destruction when they migrate.

At our Anniversary event last Friday Jerry Bertrand reminded us that the reason Massachusetts Audubon Society started the Programme for Belize, was rooted in the concept that 'their' breeding songbirds wintered in Belize. The reality is that the warblers of Belize are actually Central American birds that pop up to Massachusetts to breed. Just as the Cuckoo is an African bird that comes to Britain to breed.

If we don't look after these birds' main range, they wont come and visit us. And whilst raising money to protect tropical rainforest birds is not always straight forward, obtaining funds for the protecting other important bird habitats is even more of a challenge. We would welcome suggestions for how to make the Paraguayan Chaco, or the Kenyan Grasslands (our newest project) as appealing to potential donors as our rainforest projects. Any ideas?

Posted by John Tuesday, May 19, 2009
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Friday, May 15, 2009:

Coffee for conservation 

Last night we spent a very enjoyable evening with Frans Van Tilborg, the Director of Miko Coffee.

The WLT Puro Coffee machine: A lifeline for our busy staff.

Miko have, through their organic coffee brand, Puro, been supporting the WLT for several years, and have seen a spectacular growth in their coffee sales. We are very enthused, because we have a Puro Coffee machine in our office, and we have no difficulty in being salespeople for the brand, because it really is first rate coffee, freshly ground for every cup. So much do we enjoy our coffee that when the machine is being cleaned or serviced, minor panic ensues among staff until it's up and running again!

If you run a business, or control a school staff-room, or anywhere else where coffee is drunk in medium to large quantities do give it a try, and know that you will be supporting the WLT -- and the environment where this coffee is grown.

Posted by John Friday, May 15, 2009
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Thursday, May 14, 2009:

Atlantic Rainforest support and jewellery for conservation 

Wednesday was another day in London, based in the office which we share with Elephant Family. First a sandwich lunch with a potential new corporate supporter, who is considering supporting our work in the Atlantic rainforests.

Atlantic Rainforest habitat as seen from the visitor lodge in the REGUA Reserve, Brazil.

This was followed by a meeting with Albertino Abela, who was elected Chairman of the Trustees at our AGM last week. I reported on the current situation of the Trust, in particular the impact of the recession. Luckily, so far the impact is not significant; in fact all the indications are that the WLT is continuing to grow.

The next meeting was with Liberty, who are hosting Rising gems, an exhibition of new jewellery by young jewellers, which is being launched in the Jewellery hall of Liberty's next month. The Rising Gem collection was inspired by the World Land Trust's conservation projects and the sale of the jewellery will raise funds for them.

The last meeting of the day was with our PR consultant, to plan activities around the various events of our 20th Anniversary -- more details of these will be available on our website soon.

Posted by John Thursday, May 14, 2009
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009:

Anniversary celebrations: 20 years of successful conservation projects 

Last Friday was the 20th Anniversary of the World Land Trust, to the day (8 May). Lee Durrell, wife of the late Gerald Durrell to England for the celebrations, and spoke about the time she and Gerry came to the launch of what was then the single conservation project in Belize, back in 1989.

The contrast between the protected and unprotected area in Belize.

The celebrations were held in the Linnean Society of London's rooms, at Burlington House, Piccadilly. Edilberto Romero, the current Director of Programme for Belize (PfB) gave an update on all the conservation work in Belize, where the 260,000 acres protected by PfB covers 4% of the country and is home to one of the largest populations of jaguar in Central America.

I concluded the presentations with a round-up of some of the WLT's current conservation projects -- though with 22 partners world wide, there was only time to mention a few. (More details of the 20th anniversary event, including the presentations, will be available on our website in due course.)

In the 20 years that have passed since WLT's foundation, we have achieved and continue to achieve our objectives: Protecting wildlife habitats in perpetuity.

How do we know we have succeeded? Simple: The 260,000 acres of threatened forests and other habitats that our supporters have helped save in Belize are still there, permanently protected by local conservation organisations for wildlife and people. These areas are not deforested, not developed and not ploughed up for agriculture, which would otherwise have been the case.

If 260,000 acres doesn't sound like much; you're right, it's not. It's an area the size of Bedfordshire, which in the grand scheme of things is a drop in the ocean. We desperately need to save as much land as we can for threatened wildlife and you can help.

Posted by John Wednesday, May 13, 2009
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Friday, May 08, 2009:

Presidents, IUCN and other visitors 

Yesterday, after dealing with the 58 emails from Wednesday, I went to Norwich Airport to collect Jerry Bertrand, the WLT's President, and former Chairman of BirdLife International. Jerry flew in on the same flight as our colleagues from IUCN Netherlands, who are here for the WLT Annual General Meeting today.

Most of the rest of the day was spent preparing presentations for the 20th anniversary events being held in London this evening.

What was really nice was that one of our long term supporters sent some cash to buy strawberries for all the staff and some bunches of flowers for the donations department. It's so nice that someone really recognises all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.

Posted by John Friday, May 08, 2009
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Thursday, May 07, 2009:

Elephants, orangutans, conservation archives and birthday celebrations 

Yesterday was a long day; catching the 07.15 train to London for a meeting with one of our corporate supporters, Price Waterhouse Coopers, followed by a lunch with the Chairman to be of the WLT to brief him on the forthcoming Annual General Meeting and the Trust's 20th Birthday celebrations.

Then another meeting with Dr Simon Stuart, the Chairman of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) to resurrect a suggestion I made four years ago, that the SSC should organise its archiving, as a huge amount of history of conservation was being lost. We met in the library of the Linnean Society -- a very appropriate location for such a discussion.

Then off to Elephant Family for a presentation on the elephants of Borneo, which are actually benefiting from the WLT's work conserving habitats for orangutans.

I got back home to Halesworth just before 10pm, so I didn't get a chance to meet Edilberto Romero, the Director of Programme for Belize, who arrived at the office earlier that day. Edilberto is here to participate in our birthday celebrations -- WLT was initially set up to raise funds to save threatened tropical forest in Belize, and Programme for Belize was our very first project partner.

20 years on WLT has more than ten successfully completed and current projects, as well as partner organisations all over the world. Our objectives remain the same: to protect as much land as we can for wildlife, and to do so by providing funds and other support to local partners who understand the local needs.

Posted by John Thursday, May 07, 2009
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Tuesday, May 05, 2009:

"Large scale habitat restoration" 

This is the by-line for an article in this month's Natural World (the magazine of the Wildlife Trusts in UK), which landed on my desk today. It concerns a very interesting article by an old friend of mine, Frank Greenaway (ex Natural History Museum), about an amazing project to create habitat for Barbastelle Bats in Sussex.

Elephant crossing point at the Simsang River, Siju-Rewak Elephant Corridor, India, which protects 1,700 acres (over 700 ha) of continuous forest for elephants and other wildlife.

For anyone interested in the WLT's elephant corridor project this really is a very interesting article, and further evidence of the importance of wildlife corridors. However, the magazine's by-line of large-scale habitat restoration did make me smile.

I suppose large-scale is all a matter of scale, but while there is absolutely no doubt in my mind of the importance of the Sussex project, it's a land purchase of 80 hectares, which does give a relative scale to what the WLT is doing -- where a land purchase of 800 ha would be considered small. But if you are a member of your local Wildlife Trust in England, do read the article -- it's very encouraging.

Posted by John Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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