The World Land Trust eBulletin Issue 21, September 2004

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In this issue:
Donated Conservation Books Help Stop Smugglers
Bill Oddie to Visit Ranch of Hopes
Open Day at Kites Hill...
...and the Red Kites are Back in Town
Amazon World Helps Save the Amazon Forest
News in Brief

Donated Conservation Books Help Stop Smugglers

Some of the beautiful birds confiscated in Sharja, thanks to the Books for Conservation Programme

Handy field guides donated by WLT used in bird smuggling investigation.

Bird smugglers in Sharja, United Arab Emirates, did not reckon with the staff of the Breeding Centre for Arabian Wildlife. Having recently received a shipment of field guides through the WLT Books for Conservation Programme, the staff of the Breeding Centre were called to Dubai International Airport to examine a suspicious shipment of birds from East Africa. They brought the field guides along and thanks to the books they were able to identify all the birds, which were subsequently impounded by the customs officials.

This was certainly an unexpected and interesting way to use the books, which were provided by the World Land Trust and the Natural History Book Service.

The Books for Conservation Programme supplies reference books on wildlife and conservation to non-government organisations in parts of the world that have difficulty accessing such materials. The books are sent free, but sponsorship for the freight costs is urgently needed.

Bill Oddie to Visit Ranch of Hopes

Bill Oddie - a committed WLT supporter.

"Britain's best-known birdwatcher" is making a BBC TV programme on WLT's Patagonia reserve.

In October world-famous birder Bill Oddie will be visiting the Ranch of Hopes Wildlife Refuge in Patagonia to film a programme for his next series on birdwatching for BBC TV.

Bill has never visited Patagonia and is excited at the prospect of seeing the wonderful birds of the area for the first time. While on the Ranch he can expect to see the colourful Burrowing Parrot, Darwin's Rhea (South American Ostrich) and local specialities such as the Patagonian Mockingbird and the Patagonian Yellow Finch.

Bill Oddie has been a committed supporter of the World Land Trust since it was established in 1989 and helped launch several of its projects including Rainforest Action Costa Rica, Focus on Forests and Green Ink.

The film of Bill Oddie's visit to Patagonia will be transmitted on BBC TV early in 2005.

Read the press release about Bill Oddie's upcoming visit to Patagonia
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/2004/09/bill-oddie-to-visit-first-coastal.htm

Open Day at Kites Hill...

Volunteer Chris Burgess installing an owl box at Kites Hill.

WLT to hold an Open Day at its UK reserve in Glocestershire.

On the afternoon of Friday, 15 October, there will be an Open Day at the WLT's UK Reserve in Gloucestershire, with special guest, Henry Elwes Esq., the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire.

Since Kites Hill was donated to the Trust by supporter, Miss Jane Pointer, a great deal of work has been taking place to improve the habitats for wildlife. Thanks to grants from the John Ellerman Foundation, the Linley Wightman Shaw Foundation and supporters of the WLT's 'Trees for Peanuts' scheme, we have planted trees, positioned bird and bat boxes, erected an interpretation board and prepared a woodland walk, which is now ready for visitors.

If you would like to join us on the 15th please contact Vivien Burton at the WLT office as attendance is by invitation only. Directions to the reserve can be found on the WLT website.

Read more about WLT's project at Kites Hill
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/projects/kites.htm

...and the Red Kites are Back in Town

After over a century of absence, Red Kites are back, prospecting the Kites Hill reserve. This is perfect habitat for this beautiful bird of prey and with luck soon they will take up residence and Kites Hill will really live up to its name.

Amazon World Helps Save the Amazon Forest

Amazon World, Isle of Wright, to raise funds for WLT's Ecuador project

Amazon World Zoo Park on the Isle of Wight is committed to spreading the conservation word, and are new sponsors of the WLT. Ten years ago Derek Curtis, Curator of Amazon World, visited the Amazon Basin and came back determined to increase public awareness of the rainforests and their plight, and Amazon World is now a flourishing education and conservation centre. They are aiming to raise a minimum of £5,000 by December 2005 to purchase and protect their own piece of rainforest as part of the WLT/Fundación Jocotoco project.

Amazon World has been awarded IOW Tourism's 'Top Attraction' and the 'Good Britain Guide' Top Family Attraction. If you are visiting the Isle of Wight please call in and enjoy the tropical birds and a large number of other animals species kept in natural surroundings.

Visit Amazon World
http://www.amazonworld.co.uk

News in Brief

WLT reserves featured in plant conservation periodical

Nigel Simpson, trustee of both the WLT and its Ecuadorian partner organisation, Fundación Jocotoco, has written an article for Plant Talk (No. 37, August 2004). The article, "Saving threatened plants and birds in the Andes of Ecuador" outlines Fundación Jocotoco's history and fantastic achievements.

Read Nigel's article in Plant Talk
http://www.plant-talk.org/stories/37ecuadr.html

WLT Intern to work for TRAFFIC

Caroline Wymer, who completed the WLT internship programme in July 2002, has been offered the position of Project Administration Officer with TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network. Caroline will start her new job at TRAFFIC's international office in Cambridge in October, and we wish her best of luck.

Read more about the Internship Programme
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/supporting/internships.htm

Help WLT when you complete your tax return

A job everyone hates, but you may enjoy it a bit more if you are helping WLT at the same time. From April this year everyone who completes a UK Self Assessment tax return has been able to nominate a charity to receive all or part of any repayment due. All you have to do is enter the WLT's code which is GAD74DG in the appropriate box and Inland Revenue will do the rest. The donation will be paid direct to WLT's bank account and we will waste no time in acknowledging and confirming the amount of your donation. If you have any queries please contact Vivien Burton at the WLT.

One of the stamps in the woodland animals collection.

And finally...

Coming up: A chance to win woodland animal stamps

The next issue of the eBulletin will feature a competition with the chance to win a set of lovely woodland animal stamps. Eulogy has kindly offered us 25 presentation packs written by Bill Oddie and featuring 10 stamps each. The stamps, launched by UK's Royal Mail 16 September, pictures well-known and lesser known woodland inhabitants found in the UK. If you fancy a set, look out for eBulletin no. 22.