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.

How does this work? » More WLT news feeds »

Green Diary

This page shows the most recent Green Diary posts, or a selection of posts in the same category. To read older posts, use the archive in the navigation bar on this page. The newest posts can always be found at www.worldlandtrust.org/news/blog.htm.

Green Diary posts on this page:

Tuesday, February 02, 2010:

Avatars, Indigenous rights and the rainforest 

At the WLT we have seen a sudden surge in donations and several of our new donors have mentioned that they have seen the blockbuster film Avatar, and wanted to do something to help the environment. So I decided I had better go and see the film, and what it was all about.

Most of my life I have been a bit of a film buff, though in recent years I rarely actually get to a cinema. And I am also fairly infamous among friends as an aficionado of horror films, B movies, and fairly weird surrealist films. So the chance to see a major 3D Sci-Fi fantasy, seemed worthwhile. From the outset the special effects were superb. But nearly three hours later I felt that was just about it; special effects; seamless transitions from actors to computer generated special effects.

However original and clever, special effects do not make a great movie, and unfortunately, the plot of Avatar was pretty unoriginal and could be traced back to several dozen earlier movies. The story line is a pretty banal metaphor for man's destruction of planet earth, and the highlight of the film for me was the portrayal of the US army as colonial, might is right, all the world resources are ours by right, imperialists, with an oblique reference to the invasion of Iraq perhaps.

But the sad part of the green message is that I doubt if more than one person in a thousand seeing these Avatars will realise that this is precisely what is happening, as they watch the film, in the Gran Chaco of Paraguay, to mention just one wild place threatened by human encroachment. For Avatars read Ayoreo, M'ba, Chamococ, Guarani etc.

As a giant bulldozer in the film trundled towards the audience in dramatic 3D, I immediately recalled the image of a bulldozer coming off a boat that had just crossed the Paraguay River from Brazil, and was about to crash into the territory once occupied by the Chamacoco and other indigenous groups.

In the film it was a quest for the imaginatively named mineral 'unobtanium'. In Paraguay it is the quest for more beef, and more soya to feed the cows for more burgers.

The film allegedly cost $460,000,000 to make. But as the audience munch their way through burgers and guzzle cola, how many realise they are responsible indirectly for the destruction that this film allegorises. A few have, and they have made donations. But we need thousands more if we are to slow down the destruction of the Gran Chaco.

The Amazon is usually pinpointed as the area under threat. But the reality is different. Over 95% of the Atlantic Rainforests of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina have already gone. Some 4% survive in a pristine condition. An average of 1,000 acres a day of the Gran Chaco are disappearing, and some of the world's last uncontacted tribes are soon to come face to face with the 'civilization' they have deliberately shunned. Bows and arrows against bulldozers.

When Sir David Attenborough visited Paraguay in 1959 there were thousands of indigenous groups living in isolation, uncontacted by the rest of the world. Since then these numbers have dwindled, and their traditional lands which once teemed with wildlife are being swallowed up for a few years of profit. Most of the Chaco is so fragile that in a few years it will turn to desert - I have seen the dunes that are spreading year by year.

But the world prefers to watch a film about tall skinny blue aliens on another planet, and ignore the fact it is happening right now to real people.

Posted by John Tuesday, February 02, 2010
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (2) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends

Friday, January 29, 2010:

'I do 30' to reduce CO2 emissions 

This morning I got an email from Anne Herngaard in Denmark, which I have copied below, as it seems a good idea, and is self explanatory, and I would like to encourage my readers to check it out.

I am just writing to let you know of a campaign called 'I do 30' that may be of interest to your blog.

During the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, our world leaders failed in making a climate change deal. It is therefore important that we all take responsibility for our actions to make a better world - and one way of doing this is by doing 30.

The 'I do 30' campaign encourages people across the world to turn down the temperature on their laundry to save CO2. We can all have a positive impact on the climate, by doing small climate friendly choices in your everyday life. So please help us create awareness and spread the 'I do 30' message.

We have gathered a community on Facebook of more than 12,000 fans. You can help us by making a blog post telling about 'I do 30' or you can join us on Facebook and spread the message.

Posted by John Friday, January 29, 2010
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (0) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends

Monday, January 25, 2010:

Why it makes no sense for charities to hoard cash 

Reading the charity trade press, it is interesting to note that one factor that is having a major impact on many of the larger charities is the low interest rates.

While low interest rates does have an impact on the World Land Trust, it is nothing like as significant as the fall in the value of the pound against the dollar. This is because most of our funds are raised in pounds, but spent in dollars.

But the main reason why the fall in interest rates does not have a massive impact on the WLT is because we do not hoard cash.

Charities are generally established to fulfill a need. It therefore does not make sense to sit on piles of money when we could something proactive with it.

Land does take a long time to buy, and its price is going up despite the recession. But we are now in the fortunate position of having a revolving fund, thanks to the generosity of one of our donors. Combined with our Action Fund reserves we now have around £400,000 that can be used to make an instant payment, should important land become available, so that we can secure it while fund-raising takes place. To us this is far better use of money than putting it in the bank to earn interest.

So however much you donate, whether it is £5, £50 or £500,000 we will be able to put it to good use.

Posted by John Monday, January 25, 2010
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (0) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends

Friday, January 22, 2010:

Ongoing Crisis in the Chaco 

The problems continue in the Chaco of Paraguay. Deforestation continues, and our partners are seriously under-resourced.

Yesterday I had a letter from Jose Luis Casaccia, the former Minister of the Environment of Paraguay, thanking the World Land Trust for organising a visit to England last year, when he was able to give a presentation to members of parliament, in the House of Commons. But despite all the publicity, deforestation continues.

The three National Parks that the WLT is helping to protect, together with the Ministry of Environment and our local NGO partner, Guyra Paraguay, cover an area of two and a half million acres -- that's the size of East Anglia. And we can only afford to fund five rangers. Surely someone reading this blog could find $5000 so that we can hire one more? And another, and another.

Sitting on my desk is a copy of Zoo Quest in Paraguay, with a youthful David Attenborough on the cover. Published in 1959, at that time the Chaco was almost completely undisturbed -- in fact Sir David barely got into the Chaco, and it was still populated by several thousand Indians totally isolated from the world.

Since then roads have crisscrossed the forests, most of the Indians have been contacted by missionaries, and oil prospectors have marched in. It's a fragile habitat, and we must do something to conserve it. So if any of my readers can find a sponsor, it really will make a difference.

Learn more:
Deforestation in Paraguay: Over 1500 football pitches lost a day in the Chaco
Death of the Chaco

Posted by John Friday, January 22, 2010
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (2) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends

Monday, January 11, 2010:

Global warming? 

The big freeze this week in England has, of course, got many people questioning the occurrence of global warming. Which is precisely why we don't use that phrase. It's climate change.

I have written elsewhere about it (for Suffolk Wildlife Trust), but climate change can definitely mean that Britain could end up with a more continental climate. Or the Gulf Stream could shut off, in which case we would end up with weather more like that of northern New England. What we need to really understand is that the factors that cause climate change are likely to be the carbon emissions and other atmospheric pollutants. What we should also recognise, that even if the climate change deniers are right, there is little doubt that the anthropogenic emissions are not doing any good anyway.

I believe that climate change and carbon emissions should be seen as a wake up call for all the other far more serious issues, which are the causal factors behind these issues: Deforestation. Water pollution. Over use of water. Desertification. Over-dependence on livestock. Waste of food. over use of energy. Over population by humans and domestic livestock.

All these are the real problems. And until each and every one of them is addressed, species will continue to disappear year by year. And our descendants will be the poorer for it.

So my New year's resolution is not as daft as the UK government's solution to climate change (drive 5 miles less every week). It is to ensure that at every possible opportunity I draw attention to the real issues. And meanwhile continue to help the World Land Trust grow.

We ended last year pretty well on target -- we grew at a time when most charities suffered cut backs. That means you, our supporters, believe that what we are doing is right.

We have set an even more ambitious budget for 2010. There is no question that what we are doing is minuscule in the big scheme. But we are doing it, and you are supporting it. Governments take note of such things. So please make a New year's resolution -- perhaps to recruit just one more supporter for the WLT. Or thank one of our corporate supporters for their support -- while we need money for our programmes, it isn't the only way you can support us.

Posted by John Monday, January 11, 2010
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (0) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends

Thursday, December 31, 2009:

The end of the year: Successes and challenges 

As the year end approaches I am looking back over what at first sight seems a very successful year. Certainly we have raised more funds than ever before. We have extended our network of partner organisation and we have helped them buy and protect thousands of acres of land. That's the good news.

The downside is that we have seen land prices begin to increase fairly dramatically. Probably the result of the recession. Putting money in the bank produces very low rates of return; land is a significantly better long-term investment. Hundreds of acres of Chaco are cleared every day in Paraguay. And there is little the government appears to be able to do about it.

Our success at saving land has brought its own problems -- how to manage and protect those lands. Next year we are going to try and raise funds to cover the cost of rangers and guards. In South America, in most of the countries we work in, as little as $5000 a year will keep a ranger in the field.

When you bear in mind that in Paraguay we only have five guards looking after an area the size of East Anglia, you can perhaps appreciate why we would like to fund a few more.

Perhaps your company/school/ amateur dramatics group/football team or whatever other group you belong to could consider raising the funds to keep a ranger in post. £10,000 over three years is not an unrealistic target, and it would make a real difference.

Any Offers? You would even be able to go and meet 'your' ranger if you wanted to.

Posted by John Thursday, December 31, 2009
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (0) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends

Wednesday, December 23, 2009:

Annual Accounts & Budgets 

As the year comes to an end, I am working on the budget for the WLT. In 2009 we raised over £2.5 million (over $4million) and are anticipating a further increase for 2010. But while preparing budgets and annual accounts, I also look at those of other comparable organisations. Many have had a downturn in 2009 -- as far as I can see one of the main reasons is that too many conservation organisations rely on Foundations and Trusts to give them funding. In a recession, when interest rates are low, this is a very unreliable source of funds. But some of the blame must rest with the organisations themselves and how they present their work, as well as what they do. An organisation that does not present itself well, will not get the support it might deserve.

One set of accounts I examined (the organisation had better remain anonymous) spent nearly £5 million on Agenda Setting (whatever that is) together with Communicating, Advocating and Educating. No doubt all very worthy activities, if a tad fuzzy in meaning, but sitting alongside an expenditure of only £2.6 million spent on Taking Action, many potential donors would surely question the organisations priorities.

It is important that Charities are as transparent as possible when presenting their accounts. But it is also very important that they actually mean something to their supporters. I would therefore ask any of our supporters who find any part of the accounts we publish on our website, to let us know, as soon as possible, about any improvements we can make.

Posted by John Wednesday, December 23, 2009
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (0) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends

Monday, December 21, 2009:

Dilemas for conservation 

The WLT is being supported by the Stella Artois Christmas advertising campaign. But this has brought a few criticisms. This is because although the Stella campaign involves an innovative electronic Christmas card, it also involves printing a page on the computer in order to view the card. So critics argue that this is damaging the environment.

I agree. No question, paper and all the associated issues involved in printing do use resources and are ultimately part of the problem of environmental degradation. I can't argue with that.

But for every card sent, Stella have committed to donating to the World Land Trust sufficient funds to the WLT to save a living tree, in the rainforests of Misiones, in Argentina. The idea was enthusiastically endorsed by the Governor of Misiones, as well as the relevant conservation officials from the province.

So one sheet of paper, will save a real, living rainforest tree. That's also a no-brainer, to use the modern terminolgy.

My view, and I am sure this would reflect the majority of the supporters of the WLT is that the world we live in is far from perfect, but if a major company like Stella is trying to promote the idea of saving forests, then it is to be encouraged. There will always be a trade-off. That's the very nature of marketing and publicity; the key is striking a balance, and moving forward. I hope that Stella Artois will become a brand leader in supporting habitat conservation. They have already supported watershed protection in South America, and helping the WLT fund the purchase of rainforests is another step forward. It is only by working WITH industry we can move forward. Simply attacking them rarely produces sustainable results.

But your feedback on a controversial issue tlike this would be welcome.

Posted by John Monday, December 21, 2009
| Permanent location of this post | Post a Comment | Read comments (2) | Links to this post |

Share this post with your friends