World Land Trust (WLT) was founded in 1989 by conservationists John Burton, who served as Chief Executive until 2019, and Gerard Bertrand, who remains today as our Honorary President.
The History of World Land Trust
Formerly known as ‘World Wide Land Conservation Trust’ between 1994 and 1996, we were first founded under the name of ‘Programme for Belize’. Our goal was a pioneering one: raising funds to purchase land for the express purpose of conservation.
The supporters of our first project, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Audubon Society, saved 110,000 acres of threatened tropical rainforest in Belize.
Our US partner also provided a generous $10,000 start-up donation, which allowed our founder John Burton to establish the Trust’s first office in the United Kingdom.
Our second project came in 1993, when we were alerted to the dangers posed by tourism development on Danjugan Island, a place of high conservation importance in the Philippines.
The Trust raised enough funds to allow Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc. to purchase the entire island, which they fully protect and manage to this day.
WLT moved to its current office in Halesworth, Suffolk in 1995.
John Burton and his wife Viv managed the Trust for three decades until both stepped down in 2019, when Dr Catherine Barnard became our current CEO.
Since its inception in 1989, World Land Trust has gone on to support local conservation partners in more than 30 countries, raising funds to protect some of the world’s most biologically significant and threatened habitats.
Here are just a few examples of the countries, partners and reserves that we have supported with our fundraising campaigns over the years:
| COUNTRY | PARTNER | RESERVES | SPECIAL APPEALS |
| Argentina | Fundación Biodiversidad- Argentina | El Pantanoso, Emerald Green Corridor | Big Cat Appeal (2014) |
| Armenia | Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets | Caucasus Wildlife Refuge | Big Cat Appeal (2014) |
| Belize | Programme for Belize | Rio Bravo | Programme for Belize (1989) |
| Belize | Corozal Sustainable Future Initiative | North-eastern Biological Corridor | Jungles for Jaguars (2018) |
| Bolivia | Asociación Armonía | Barba Azul | Blue-throated Macaw (2017) |
| Brazil | Reserva Ecologica de Guapiaçu (REGUA) | REGUA | Olympic Forest Appeal (2016) |
| Cameroon | ERuDeF | Deng Deng National Park | A Future for Gorillas |
| Colombia | Fundación Biodiversa Colombia | El Silencio | Saving the Barbacoas (2020) |
| Ecuador | Fundación Jocotoco | Buenaventura, Jorupe, Narupa, Río Canandé, Tapichalaca, Yanacocha | Saving Ecuador’s Chocó Forest (2020) Blue-throated Hillstar (2019) Amazonian Andes (2018) |
| Ecuador | Fundación EcoMinga | Llanganates-Sangay Biological Corridor | Forests in the Sky (2015) |
| Guatemala | Foundation for Eco- development And Conservation | Laguna Brava, Laguna Grande Sarstun, Sierra Santa Cruz, Tapon Creek, Yal Unin Yul Witz | Guardians of Nimla Ha’ (2021) Treasure Chest Appeal (2017) |
| India | Wildlife Trust of India | Garo Hills, Mudahalli Corridor, Tirunelli-Kudrakote Corridor | Elephant Corridor Appeal (2016) Big Cat Appeal (2014) |
| Kenya | Nature Kenya | Kikuyu Escarpment, Leleshwa Reserve, Mount Kenya, Nandi Hills | Dakatcha Woodland (2019) |
| Malaysian Borneo | Hutan | Keruak Corridor, Kretam-Kulamba, Pangi | Saving Borneo’s Orangutan Corridors (2021) Borneo Rainforest Appeal (2013) |
| Mexico | Grupo Ecológico Sierra Gorda | Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve | Saving Mexico’s Ancient Forests (2018) |
| Tanzania | Tanzania Forest Conservation Group | Rondo Plateau | Saving Tanzania’s Costal Forests (2021) |
| Vietnam | Viet Nature | Khe Nuoc Trong, Bac Huong Hoa | Scorched Earth to Forest Haven (2019) |