The World Land Trust eBulletin Issue 30, July 2005

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In this issue:
Ecuador Update: Jocotoco Foundation Bird "Emblem of the City"
A Race for the Rainforests: WLT Supporters Run for Wildlife
WLT Patron David Attenborough Awarded Honorary Doctorate
News in Brief
Get Involved: Become a WLT Partner

Ecuador Update: Jocotoco Foundation Bird "Emblem of the City" 

Black-breasted Puffleg. Yanacocha is is one of very few known locations for this critically endangered hummingbird.

Endangered hummingbird found in Yanacocha reserve declared emblem of the city of Quito.

On June 23 the Mayor and City Council of the city of Quito declared the Black-breasted Puffleg the "Emblem of the city". The Black-breasted Puffleg is one of the least known South American hummingbirds with a tiny range around the Volcano Pichincha less than 20 km from Quito. The bird is extremely rare and currently classified as critically endangered. To help ensure its survival WLT's Ecuadorian Partners, the Jocotoco Foundation, have purchased and created the Yanacocha reserve, which contains a major proportion of the remaining elfin Polylepis forest habitat that the Black-breasted Puffleg prefers.

Quito City Council also intends to declare the Yanacocha Reserve a "Natural Heritage of Mankind". The reserve is managed by the Jocotoco Foundation with help from the nearby community. It has many visitors who enjoy getting a close up view of species of hummingbirds, including three species of pufflegs, at feeders put up along the main trail.

Read the Jocotoco Foundation press release
http://www.fjocotoco.org/news-reserves-june2005.html

A Race for the Rainforests: WLT Supporters Run for Wildlife

Nearly there yet? Dave and Rachel at the top of Snowdon, the tallest mountain in Wales, and the last peak in the Three Peaks Challenge.

London couple raise over £2,300 running and climbing in support of the WLT.

In March Dave Scott and Rachel Rowlands, two London based World Land Trust supporters, decided to raise funds for the WLT by undertaking no less than four running and climbing events. The couple aimed to start by completing three half-marathons and finish off with the even more ambitious "Three Peaks Challenge": climbing the three tallest mountains in Britain and travel between them in less than 24 hours.

Four months on, we are pleased to report that Dave and Rachel have successfully completed all events, finishing the last, the Three Peaks Challenge, earlier this month. "It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, both physically and mentally", said Dave after managing to complete the challenge in just under 22 hours.

The hard-working couple has managed to raise more than £2,300 in sponsorship so far, using WLT's fundraising service with justgiving.com, and they are hoping to reach £2,500 once all their sponsors have paid. As if running and climbing for rainforest was not enough, Dave and Rachel will be fundraising for the Trust again this year, using justgiving.com as an alternative wedding list in celebration of their marriage this autumn.

Congratulations to Dave and Rachel on completing all four challenges and best of luck with the wedding preparations. Thanks to the couple's fantastic fundraising effort the WLT will be able to purchase and protect up to 100 acres of threatened wildlife habitats.

Would you like to organise a sponsored event on behalf of the World Land Trust? Justgiving.com enables supporters to raise money quickly and easily online using their own personalised web pages. Visit www.justgiving.com/worldland/raisemoney to set up your fundraising page or call justgiving.com on 0800 028 6183 (UK only) for more information. To see the web page Dave and Rachel created, visit www.justgiving.com/3-halves-3-peaks.

WLT Patron David Attenborough Awarded Honorary Doctorate

Sir David Attenborough.

Sir David Attenborough, BBC TV broadcaster and patron of the the World Land Trust, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science at the University of East Anglia on July 12.

Throughout his distinguished career in broadcasting Sir David Attenborough has inspired generations of naturalists with his wildlife programmes. He has been a supporter of the World Land Trust ever since it was founded in 1989 and became one of its official patrons in 2003.

Read the press release: WLT Patron David Attenborough Awarded Honorary Doctorate
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/2005/07/wlt-patron-david-attenborough-awarded.htm

That the University of East Anglia should award a Doctorate to a World Land Trust patron seems particularly appropriate, since there is an ongoing relationship between the University and the Trust. One of the collaborations has resulted in a new Diploma course in Conservation and Project Administration, with the first students on the course starting in September.

Read more about the Diploma Course in Conservation and Project Administration
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/education/uea.htm

News in Brief

Upcoming Events

Cycle in Suffolk and Help Save Rainforest

Help raise money for the World Land Trust and have fun at the same time by joining us on the Dunwich Forest Cycle Treasure Hunt. Cycle along the lanes and byways of east Suffolk taking in the beautiful scenery, solving clues along the way and keeping a lookout for Red Deer, Muntjac and other wildlife of Dunwich Forest.

Date: Sunday, 14 August
More information: Cycle in Suffolk and Help Save Rainforest
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/suffolk-cycle-treasure-hunt.htm

British Birdwatching Fair

As mentioned in the last eBulletin, the Trust will again be present at the Annual Bird Fair at Rutland Water in August. Apart from WLT staff and representatives from our partner organisations in Belize and Ecuador, you will also have the opportunity to meet WLT’s Honorary President, Dr Gerard Bertrand, who will be giving a lecture on ‘Record Breaking Birdwatching’, at 3pm on Friday.

Date: 19-21 August
More information: Meet the World Land Trust at the British Birdwatching Fair
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/news/bird-fair-05.htm

Actress Daryl Hannah Travels to Belize with WLT

When you are reading this newsletter the WLT's John Burton will be on his way to Belize on a Jaguar Cars funded trip aimed at raising the Trust's profile. Among the participants of the group is actress Daryl Hannah, well known for her interest in conservation. A report on the trip will feature in the next issue of the eBulletin.

Get Involved: Become a WLT Partner

Help us plan land purchases in advance by pledging a regular payment to the Trust.

A standing order instruction to your bank or building society is a convenient way of making a donation and, at the same time, it helps the WLT plan vital land purchases, knowing that you have pledged your donations in advance. WLT Partners really are the backbone of the Trust and although we prefer partners to pay by standing order, we are happy to accept regular payments by credit card for those who do not have a UK bank account.

Become a WLT Partner: Download a standing order/credit card payment form
http://www.worldlandtrust.org/supporting/partners.htm