Welcome to the World Land Trust eBulletin - a monthly roundup of news from the WLT. The eBulletin is maintained by Pete - please email him if you have any comments or questions

A Whale of an Auction for Conservation

One of the Paintings up for auction Minke whales and Icebergs - Bruce Pearson 1990 (Size 18x22 inches or 55x64 cm including borders)

The World Land Trust is holding its first online auction to help raise funds for its conservation work. Well-known wildlife artist, Bruce Pearson, who is the current President of the Society of Wildlife Artists, has been a supporter of the World Land Trust ever since the Trust was founded in 1989, and on New Year’s eve 2002 he donated a selection of his paintings and field sketches to the WLT, to be sold in order to raise funds. The field sketches include drawings made in the Camargue and elsewhere, and the Whale paintings were originally published in Anthony Martin’s book Whales and Dolphins. With many major collections already owning works by Bruce Pearson, the WLT is expecting keen competition for these paintings. And 100% of the proceeds will go towards the Estançia La Esperanza Project in Patagonia – a place where whales and dolphins abound along the 12kms of coast. In addition to the paintings, Bruce Pearson also donated 100 prints of a family of Bowhead Whales feeding on a shoal of plankton. Each print is individually signed by the artist, and these prints are sold at £50 ($75) each (Plus post and packing UK: £5 print and £7.50 for the paintings - international prices on request).

You can find out more about Bruce Pearson’s work by visiting his website at www.brucepearson.info

Pictures of the paintings, and the prints available in the sale can be viewed at www.worldlandtrust.org/news/paintings.htm

Take your Valentine to the Rainforest
With St. Valentines day getting closer, the season of romantic gestures is almost upon us. This year the WLT are offering starry eyed couples the opportunity to visit the Rainforest. The visit includes an opportunity to renew wedding vows, a stay in an environmentally sensitive ecolodge, flights and 100 acres of Rainforest saved in each persons name. Prices start from £10,000 per couple.
As an option a new species of Orchid can be named after the bride - the ultimate in environmental romantic gestures. To find out more contact the WLT, or see our website.

www.worldlandtrust.org/news/valentinestrip.htm

Or, keep your love alive by purchasing a Rainforest Acre in the name of your loved one. For a donation of £25 you will be saving trees, flowers and wildlife for less than the cost of a single rose which will wilt after just a few days. You can do this online and we will send out your certificate by first class post.

www.worldlandtrust.org/supporting/valentines.htm

New Land Purchased in Ecuador - more soon
Following an overwhelming response over the Christmas period, the WLT has announced it will be funding the purchase of a new area of land in Ecuador. Details, and photographs of the new land will be posted on the WLT homepage when they become available.

New Intern to join WLT Team
The WLT welcomes Molly St. George, the first intern of 2003, to the offices later this month. The WLT Volunteer Internship Programme, which has been running for a number of years now, has been designed to train the "conservationists of the future", as interns are equipped with the experience necessary to find employment in the conservation world. Previous WLT interns have experienced a 100% success rate in finding employment. Interns, in return, provide a valuable service to the World Land Trust, as for the six-month period they spend working in the office, they significantly support the Trust's workload by working as assistants to various members of staff. Kirsty Forbes first came to the WLT as an intern in October 2000, before being employed as Project Manager, and found the programme thoroughly rewarding:

"The WLT Internship programme is a very dynamic and rewarding experience. Under the careful guidance of the WLT staff, I know that this opportunity will provide me with the necessary wealth of experience and knowledge to flourish in a field such as conservation management."

Find out more about the WLT Internship programme at: www.worldlandtrust.org/supporting/index.htm