WILD

Presidential Proclamation, Wilderness Stewardship & Wilderness Training in Europe

Several good stories through the pipeline today - On 31 August, through an official Presidential Proclamation, US President Obama declared September official "Wilderness Month!"  A brief excerpt from his proclamation: "This month, we renew our pledge to build upon the legacy of our forebears. Together, we must ensure that future generations can experience the tranquility and grandeur of America's natural places. As we resolve to meet this responsibility, let us also reflect on the ways in which our lives have been enriched by the gift of the American wilderness." Read More

Action for Mexico’s Water Forest

On 12 July, land owners conservationists, government authorities, national and international conservation organizations, scientists and business owners met to address the complex and highly urgent task of protecting, restoring and sustainably managing the Water Forest.  With over 70 participants, this first meeting of the "Think Tank" group was highly successful. Developing a long-term conservation plan for The Water Forest (Bosque de Agua) is extremely important for Mexico -- the forested region provides water and other vital environmental services to a fifth of Mexico’s total population. Currently, the region is threatened by urban sprawl, land-use changes and illegal logging.  A concerted conservation ... Read More

US President Obama and Mexican President Calderon announce Transboundary Protected Area

On May 19, in a significant step towards the first “peace park” between Mexico and the United States, protecting important transboundary wildlands, President of Mexico Felipe Calderon visited Washington DC and, with US President Barack Obama, made the following official announcement: The Presidents noted the long history of bilateral cooperation in the conservation of natural and cultural resources. They recognized that Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River in the United States and the Protected Areas of Maderas del Carmen, Cañon de Santa Elena, Ocampo, and Río Bravo del Norte in Mexico together comprise ... Read More

Updated Blogroll

Just wanted to let everyone know that I've updated our Blogroll to include some really great new(er) blogs from our friends and partners!  Here's a quick overview: Tierra Silvestre - A fantastic new blog by Ana Domínguez Pérez, who worked with WILD and Unidos para la Conservacion on WILD9.  Ana is continuing the momentum built during WILD9 for "Tierras Silvestre" in Mexico, posting news and information in Spanish.  She says: "For me, the Wilderness are the reason to understand where we come from and where we should go." The Nature Files - Morgan Heim, Trustee of WILD, emerging member of the iLCP ... Read More

Collectors Item from the 1st World Wilderness Congress

Today, I received something very cool in my email inbox.  With hints of your mom's old signed yearbook, this scan of the program from the 1st World Wilderness Congress (1977, South Africa) is most definitely a collectors edition.  Click through the slide-show below to see the program, and photos and signatures from all of the main participants/speakers. With 2,500 delegates from 27 countries, the 1st WWC: Introduced the wilderness concept as an international issue of importance, whereas formerly it had been only an issue of Western cultures; Presented programs for integrating cultures and races around the world in nature conservation; Incorporated economics and ... Read More

International League of Conservation Writers site now live

The International League of Conservation Writers is a forum to bring writers together from all over the world who are writing to promote wilderness, nature, conservation, and other means to protect and restore the natural areas, habitats, animals, and plants of our planet. ILCW will present periodic writing awards to authors who excel in this field. Formed at WILD9, the 9th World Wilderness Congress (Merida, Mexico 6-13 November 2009) during the Writer's Seminars, the ILCW has a growing list of founding fellow and members.  There are 3 levels for membership: Read More

Toasting to Wilderness in Africa with Mexican Tequila

The WILD Foundation was born in the African wilderness. Last month I was in Southern Africa to review a few of our projects, attend board meetings, and to be with our network of colleagues and friends who form the backbone of our work there for wilderness, wildlife and people. It was a productive, warm, and enjoyable rainy season. Among many projects visited, for the first time in several years I went to the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. CCF was within WILD for 11 years, I am still a Trustee, and we remain good and close partners. Laurie Marker, Bruce ... Read More

New WILD9 Videos!

This week we posted another great chunk of WILD9 presentations on connectivity and wilderness and people -- social issues and conservation solutions and agriculture and climate change.  Check out the links below to view these presentations: Connectivity in the Americas: US - Mexico Connectivity - The Borderlands of Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico Diana Hadley, Executive Director, Northern Jaguar Project, English & Spanish Oscar Moctezuma, Executive Director, Naturalia, English (Spanish coming soon!) Melanie Emerson, Executive Director, Sky Island Alliance, English & Spanish Read More

Conservation-Rancher Parternship Assists Northern Jaguars

In a press release on 15 Feburary, Sky Island Alliance biologist Sergio Avila  commented:  “Northern jaguars are a reality and they want to stay. Jaguars don’t recognize political boundaries; instead they choose robust prey populations, open space and safe corridors. This healthy feline represents our chance to recover this species in the region.” Carlos R. Elias, co-owner of the El Aribabi ranch located just 30 miles south of the US/Mexico Border in the Mexican state of Sonora, is working closely with the Sky Islands Alliance as part of the Northern Mexico Conservation Program.   This conservation-rancer collaboration partnership celebrated last week, when a jaguar ... Read More

New videos from WILD9!

This week we posted a handful more videos from WILD9 – all on connectivity. Connecting protected areas is critical for biodiversity and ensures ecosystem health at a functional scale. Wednesday at WILD9 (11 November 2009) focused on “Connecting WILD Nature.” Now available online are the presentations from the morning “Global Connectivity” and “Connectivity in the Americas” sessions. Read More