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 one of the largest and most significant ecological complexes in North America. In doing so, they recognized that increased cooperation in these protected areas would restrict development and enhance security in the region and within this fragile desert ecosystem. To preserve this region of extraordinary biological diversity, they expressed their support for the United States Department of Interior and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources of the United Mexican States to work through appropriate national processes to recognize and designate Big Bend – Rio Bravo as a natural area of bi-national interest. The Presidents underscored their commitment to manage the region in a way that enhances security and protects these areas for wildlife preservation, ecosystem restoration, climate change adaptation, wildland fire management, and invasive species control. (excerpt from Joint Statement)

The protection of the Big Bend – Rio Bravo region has been an ongoing conversation since the mid 1930s, with a major step forward following the declaration of the US Big Bend National Park in 1944. President Franklin Roosevelt, a leader very much interested in wilderness and the protection of natural lands, wrote a letter to Mexican President Manuel Avila Camacho, proposing the idea of an adjoining International Park. At the time, no action was taken. However, interest in the “magical” region remained of particular interest for high-seated political figures.

Discussion regarding the conservation of the region, as an important target area for both expanded nature conservation and for bilateral cooperation, was revived and WILD’s involvement began with conversations about a transboundary park during the planning and convening of the 8th World Wilderness Congress (Alaska 2005).

WILD ramped up efforts while planning for WILD9, the 9th World Wilderness Congress (November 2009, Merida, Mexico) when the WILD9 Executive Committee proposed the idea to Minister of Environment Juan Elvira Quesada. Minister Elvira, with Ernesto Enkerlin and his team from CONANP (National Commission for Protected Areas of Mexico), fast tracked this project, continually pursued the necessary cooperation and commitment from both sides of the border, ultimately leading to the announcement today.  Numerous NGOs in the US, the Mexican Embassy in Washington DC and the National Parks Service (International) also played key roles in reaching this important milestone.  Also of interest, there was a formal resolution (Resolution 33a) passed by the WILD9 delegates on transboundary parks, listing this region as a priority.

The Presidents discussed a wide range of issues, and reaffirmed their commitments to strategic partnerships on many levels. The full statement is available online.

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 and multi-media photo-journalist guru, shares science and environmental news in The Nature Files.  She comments: “Swimming through science journals and keeping an ear to the ground for just released “you got to knows” about ecology and our relationship to it is what I love to do.”

iLCP Blog (International League of Conservation Photographers) – Our good friends and close partners at the iLCP have revamped the blog.  It’s active, fun and has news that is definitely worth paying attention to!  The iLCP blog keeps with the tradition of story-telling – something that is very important to the iLCP.  Founder Cristina Mittermeier comments: “Today’s technology allows us to gather around the global campfire in new and meaningful ways and skilled artists and story tellers have become key players to move the conservation agenda by helping ‘connect the dots.”

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 banking for the first time as major issues on the conservation agenda;
• Presented the largest exhibition of conservation art ever held to date in Africa; and,
• Prompted production of major BBC film, Zululand Wilderness: The Black Umfolozi Rediscovered.

Proceedings were published in 1978 by Jonathan Ball, edited by Ian Player.  You can read Voices of the Wilderness below, or download the PDF.

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:

Fellow: Professional writers who have made a significant contribution to the conservation of land, wilderness, and the natural world as evidenced by the wide publication of books, articles, stories, writings, or cartoons in established media (including electronic media) over a long period of time.

Associate: Associate membership is open to writers who either have not had many articles, books, stories, cartoons and other writings published in established media or have been writing on conservation for only a short time.

Academic: Academic membership is open to university and government scientists, professors, and students who have written in the fields of land conservation, wilderness or the natural world.

Stay tuned for more updates from this group!

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 Brewer, dedicated staff and volunteers keep CCF at the top rank of effective wildlife conservation, globally.

For some (very necessary) soul replenishment, I had a few days in the Okavango Delta (Botswana) with our colleagues at Wilderness Safaris, one of the best eco-tourism companies in the world. The Delta is always amazing, and this time even more so. Hours with a pack of wild dogs, hunting and fending off a hyena, was special. Also, amazingly, for two hours we watched a lion cub less than two weeks old, in the open (very unusual…usually the lioness keeps them well-hidden for up to 60 days).

On another project consultation with our sister organization, the Wilderness Foundation (Africa), Andrew Muir and I were in the Karoo in the Eastern Cape…one of the most beautiful and soul-stirring landscapes in the world. We watched a summer rainstorm (an unusual occurrence) move across the Camdeboo Plains.

Among myriad meetings and miles, one objective was more important than the rest. I took Maggie Bryant, my dear friend and WILD supporter, to once again see Ian Player — our mutual friend and WILD’s founder — and his wife Ann. Ian and Maggie share a very great deal in common — they are both pioneers in nature conservation (and also in other personal pursuits); they have supported and mentored many fortunate people around the world (of which I am one); they will keep working and living fully until they drop; and they are both in their 80’s. They know that time is precious, and they have much yet to do. I could write a great deal more about these two world-class people whom I love and for whom I have immense respect and admiration. We’ve worked hard, accomplished a great deal together, and had more than a few laughs in the process.

Another very important reason for seeing Ian was to deliver a special gift to him from WILD9. The 9th World Wilderness Congress (Mexico, November, 2009) was the first WWC at which Ian was not present since he started them in Johannesburg in 1977. He did a video welcome, and in spirit at least was certainly with the 1800 delegates which convened in the Yucatan.

I delivered to Ian a specially engraved, three-litre bottle of Don Ramon tequila, which I had hand-carried over 6 weeks through numerous locations in Mexico, California, Colorado, Washington, and Johannesburg! This was a gift from one of our in-kind sponsors of WILD9, with personal wishes from our friend and partner in Mexico, Patricio Robles Gil. As we shared a small amount of “the spirit of Mexico” we toasted the spirit of wild nature that birthed and continues to nurture all life on our small and beleaguered planet.

For me, WILD9 was not complete until that moment.

(For a recent speech that Ian gave to the Game Ranger’s Association of Africa, March, 2010)

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

Wilderness and People – Social Issues, Conservation Solutions

• Joel Holtrop, Deputy Chief, USDA Forest Service, “Involving the Public in Wilderness and Conservation” English & Spanish
• Pinky Khondlo, Wilderness Foundation South Africa, “The Umzi Wethu – Wilderness, Training and Jobs for AIDS Orphans.” English & Spanish
• Dr. Ian McCallum, Writer, psychologist, wilderness guide, Director of Leadership and Education Projects for The Wilderness Foundation South Africa, “In the Tracks of Giants,” Spanish (English coming soon!)
• Jo Roberts, Director of The Wilderness Foundation UK, and Duncan Alistair Little, Northern Ireland, “Humanizing the Enemy: Wilderness and Peace Building”  Jo Roberts in English & Spanish / Duncan Alistair Little in English & Spanish

Wilderness and People – A New Agriculture for Wilderness and Climate Change

• Father Theodore Hesburgh, President Emeritus, Notre Dame University, interviewed by James Mosely, (Former) Deputy Secretary US Department of Agriculture, English
• Chris Dowswell, Executive Director Sasakawa Africa Association, English & Spanish
• Daniel Sherrard, Provost, and Victor Urgiles, Student, Earth University, English & Spanish

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 was photographed by a remote camera along an isolated canyon.  

“We are thrilled about the results of this collaborative project,” said Carlos R. Elias “Our family has worked hard to restore ecological processes in this land. We hope this gets the attention of government agencies and foundations, so we can establish a sustainable model that protects biodiversity and supports landowners and their families at the same time.”

The El Aribaba ranch is a critical habitat for the northern jaguar and this photograph marks a milestone in the recovery of the endangered cat.  The ranch itself is of critical importance — in 2005 it was named a World Biodiversity Hostpot (by Conservation International) and it hosts over 35 pant and animal species protected by Mexican law, including the jaguar, golden eagels, Chiricahua leopard frogs and ocelots.    The ranchwas listed as priority area for conservation by CONANP (Mexican national parks agency) and is just about to be designated as a private preserve.

“The jaguar’s presence in this area confirms the excellent ecological conditions on the property and highlights the landowner’s efforts to protect biodiversity,” Avila said. “Jaguars in northern Mexico are the hope for jaguar recovery in the United States; this is a reminder of our responsibility and an opportunity to do things right this time.”

A key part of the jaguar recovery program is linking lands together to form a large enough habitat for these predators.  This requires cooperation from many stakeholders and focused attention on important passageways along the US/Mexico border.  Animal’s don’t follow our defined political boundaries and it is critically important to allow for natural migration paths, regardless of national or regional borders.  “Predators are crucial for healthy ecosystems,” said Mexican rancher, Carlos R. Elias. “Open space, wild prey populations and wildlife corridors across the region, and across the international US/Mexico border, are vital for their survival. We have to protect and maintain those connections.”  Read the full press release.

Working with El Aribaba is just one piece of the Sky Island Alliance’s work to protect and restore the rich natural heritage of native species and habitats in the Sky Island region of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.  Melanie Emerson, Executive Director of the Alliance, spoke during the WILD9 plenary sessions and her presentation is available online in both English and Spanish.

Harvey Locke, “Connectivity – a Global Imperative” English & Spanish

Dr. Ghana Gurung, “The Terai Arc Landscape Project: Rhinos, Tigers, Elephants, and People in the Foothills of the Himalaya” English & Spanish

Rick Ridgeway, “Freedom to Roam – Bringing Connectivity into the Mainstream of Society” English & Spanish

Dr. Graeme Worboys, “Great Eastern Ranges – From the Alps to Atherton, Australia” English & Spanish

Dr. Lisa Graumlich, “Yellowstone to Yukon: Connectivity in Practice for Climate Change Adaptation” English & Spanish

Book Launch – Connectivity Conservation: A Global Guide, English & Spanish

Valer Austin, “US-Mexico Connectivity – The Borderlands of Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico,” English & Spanish

Pedro Alvarez Icaza, “Mesoamerican Biological Corridor” English & Spanish

An elder Scot’s Pine (pinus sylvestris), the ancient king of the Highland Caledonian Forest.

Scotland has its own type of wild-ness. I love it — lived there for 10 years in my 20’s and 30’s, and my children were born there. Though I knew it was time to go, I wept when I left the glens, shores and hills of the Highlands. During that time I realized that wilderness was my life’s work. I met Ian Player in 1980, and we convened the 3rd World Wilderness Congress (1983) at Inverness and the Findhorn Foundation (30 miles east).

The Chairman of the 3rd WWC was legendary piper and forester Finlay MacRae. I met Finlay one evening at a dinner hosted by Sir John Lister-Kaye of the Aigas Field Center, north of Inverness. John is a real wilderness man, and equally a real character. As we started the meal that night, all seated around a massive wooden table in the Great Hall of his Aigas House, John said the grace —- 10 minutes, in Latin!

Sitting on one side of me was Finlay, and his wife Joey on the other. Upon learning that Joey was born and raised on the Outer Isle of Lewis, my (then) wife Kate asked Joey if she spoke Gaelic. I’ll never forget Joey looking at Kate and saying clearly but sweetly, in her lovely Scots accent, “My dear, I only happen to speak English!”

John Lister Kaye has remained a force for wilderness and environmental education in Scotland. I was heartened to see his latest book, At the Water’s Edge: A Personal Quest for Wilderness, and a good article by him in the Telegraph, “Why We Need Wilderness.” Good work, John, thanks for keeping it wild!

My experience at the Wilderness Management Seminar and WILD9, Carla Mora-Trejos, Clemson University Graduate Student

I visited wilderness in my home country, and in one of these places I found a reason to live, it showed me where I am supposed to go. Unfortunately, after having an 8 to 5 job and then working on graduate school I had forgotten this place and the main reason why I started to study this in the first place. Going back to this place in my heart with other people, helped me make sense of wilderness, I knew it before hand, but I didn’t know I knew it until at the seminar we had the chance to discuss and work on it together.

Vance (Martin, President of The WILD Foundation) said in the seminar, that we are building communities. I think that the community we built in the seminar and the thorough discussions and feelings we could share made me grow up in a very special way. I learned so much from the other participants and from me; it was worth all the effort WILD9 organizers made. I am so grateful. The participants, we have kept in touch and I am sure that big things can come out of this. In terms of working together for conservation and in terms of having someone out there that understands wilderness as you do, and can give you emotional support for the struggles that working for conservation bring.

I went to WILD9 with the theme for my PhD ready and my proposal already started. After the seminar and congress, I decided to change my theme for dissertation to be able to include wild areas in the research. The conference gave me a whole new perspective of wilderness, different from the very personal, emotional, and spiritual place that was for me. Many people from the seminar and the conference inspired me to keep going with love, hope, and new strengths. I don’t think I have the right words to explain all that came out of this seminar. Thank you, for getting me back on track!!!

I’m not exaggerating when I say that the Wilderness Management Seminar was a life-changing experience.

My wilderness “education” came from living and studying in Alaska and Antarctica between 1998 and 2003. It was strongly rooted in the US National Wilderness Preservation System, the need for “untrammelled”-ness, the fight for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Since 2004, I have been working with a small non-profit for the protection of the Antarctic environment. I work as a freelance, from home in central France, remotely with scientists, lawyers, technocrats, far from anyone who breathes and lives and manages wilderness.

Two years ago, I started seriously considering ramping up the efforts to protect wilderness in Antarctica. I realized that a predominant American understanding of wilderness will not take me very far in the Antarctic Treaty forum where decisions are made collectively by 28 countries from all continents. The Wilderness Management Seminar was the first place ever where I met wilderness managers / advocates from countries from all continents and with whom I could discuss with about the linguistic and cultural interpretations of the concept of wilderness in their different cultures. With their help, I am embarking on a project that hopes to bring together an overview of the meaning of wilderness in the different cultures. The goal is to inform the Antarctic Treaty parties of the differences and similarities, in order to produce traction for the protection of wilderness in Antarctica.

I have often felt alone, discouraged, while working on trying to protect the Antarctic wilderness. I thought the task that I set myself to accomplish was impossible, laughable, forgettable. I arrived at the Wilderness Management Seminar and discovered this group of courageous people who were daily dealing with situations which seem even more impossible: elephants versus poor people, fighting against big businesses, injustices, population pressure. It made me realize that perhaps trying to continue to preserve a continent which is far far away is actually a comparatively easy task. And then, if these brave people do not cower in the face of the challenges in front of them, nor should I.

The World Wilderness Congress is a huge event. For a first-timer, it is not easy to find the right people to talk to in a crowd of 1,000 people. The Wilderness Management Seminar and the subsequent participation in the Government Forum gave me some invaluable one-on-one discussion time with some extraordinary people who would have been difficult to get to know during the main week of the Congress. These first days before the Congress gave me a strong sense of belonging and community and I think it is the best way to be introduced to the Congress. If I ever have the chance to do the Wilderness Management Seminar again I would definitely do so, and I would highly recommend it to others as well.

As a result of the Wilderness Management Seminar and WILD9, I feel that I have a worldwide network of wilderness colleagues who I could call upon to work together, which is vital in trying to achieve the protection of a global heritage such as Antarctica.

Mi experiencia en el Congreso Mundial de Tierras Silvestre/ My experience at the 9th World Wilderness Congress: Efrain Leonel Perales, Ecology Student at Sonora University; Comcaac Community member

Desde el momento de que me llego la invitación para ir al congreso, bueno en esos momentos no tenía ni idea de que era Wild9, pero acepte sin saber que era pero lo hice por que sabia que me serviría para mi carrera que estudio actualmente (licenciatura el ecología), es mi sueño hablar en público, pero gracias Wild9, también a los que me invitaron (Dr. Enriqueta Velarde y Thor Morales).

When I was invited to participate in WILD9 I didn’t even what it was, but I accepted because I knew it would be good for my studies in Ecology. My dream was to speak in public, and I did it, thanks to WILD9, but also thanks to those who invited me (Dr Enriqueta Velarde and Thor Morales)

Lo más impresionante en wild9, para mí, es que fue la primera vez que hablo ante tanta gente, a conocer nuevas personas y también por conocer a la ciudad de Mérida que esta bien bonito.

Me interesan estos temas relacionados con el medio ambiente; cambio climático, contaminación, deforestación, educación ambiental, etc. Entonces me dio una perspectiva de lo que una persona puede trabajar cuando estudia algo relacionado con el medio ambiente, en el caso mío, que estudio ecología.

Fue muy importante para mí participar en este evento tan importante, conocí a personas que solamente veía en la televisión, waauu fue una experiencia que marcará mi vida como persona y estudiante. Y una vez más agradezco a las personas que hicieron posible mi participación en Wild9…… y espero que no sea la última invitación, si no el primero de muchas.

Gracias.
¡¡Yooz quij misx mashiisaaitim maah mapocotaa!!

It was very impressive for me to speak in front of so many people, and to meet all of them. It was also good to visit the city of Merida, which is very pretty.

I am particularly interested in these environmental topics: climate change, pollution, deforestation, and environmental education. Attending to WILD9 gave me a perspective of what do people work in after they finish their studies in environment, as in my case, that I am studying ecology.

It was very important to me to participate in such an important event; I met people that I had only seen on TV (wow!). It was an experience that changed my life, both as a student and as a person. I would like to thank once more all the people that made my participation in WILD9 possible… and I really hope this will not be last invitation, but the first of many

Thanks.
Yooz quij misx mashiisaaitim maah mapocotaa!!

WILD’s good friends and partners at Ms. Maggie’s Earth Adventures just posted a great new lesson on Nomkhulubwane, the stunning elephant sculpture created by Andries Botha which traveled to WILD9 as a symbol of connectivity and sustainability.  The lessons, available in both English and Spanish, are designed to integrate learning objectives in math, science, language arts, cultural studies and geography with real environmental issues – as are all of Ms. Maggie’s lessons.  Ms. Maggie’s lessons are free to subscribers, and sent via a weekly e-newsletter each Tuesday!

School Children with Nomkhulbwane at WILD9

Ms. Maggie’s Earth Adventures and WILD have a long history of collaboration…and the Ms. Maggie’s lessons promote the life-long commitment to wild-nature that is so fundamental to WILD’s work world-wide.  They have 2 lessons on elephants which feature some of WILD’s project work in Africa (Mali Elephant Project and Isandlwana Village Project) available in the Teacher’s Lounge.   What I like most about the Ms. Maggie’s activities is that they build on each other – students see how various disciplines relate to each other and how learning relates to real-life experiences.  If you’re looking for a great way to teach your students or kids about the environment, empower them to take initiative to protect our planet, and to use some really great multi-disciplinary and effective learning tools – go on an Earth Adventure with Ms. Maggie’s crew today!

One of the many outcomes from WILD9, the 9th World Wilderness Congress (6-13 November 2009, Merida, Mexico), was the formation of the International League of Conservation Writers.  A development of the 3-day Writers Seminar Series, an esteemed group of environmental writers have joined together.  Thus far, the group is a loose collection of environmental writers, with the ‘hub’ of the group at Fulcrum Publishing in Golden, Colorado.  The group aspires to provide mentorship for up-and-coming writers, provide camaraderie among top wilderness writers and recognize the importance of writing within the conservation movement.  Within the next few months, they will post information on www.ilcwriters.org.  Stay tuned for more details from this group!

WILD9 Youth and Young Professional’s at Uxmal

James Balog, Trees, Water & Ice (English & Spanish)

Dr. Pavan Sukhdev, The Value of Wild Nature (English & Spanish) – with power-point presentation

Sally Collins, Ecosystem Services and Markets: Towards and investment strategy for conservation (English & Spanish)

Martha Isabel (Pati) Ruiz Corzo, Implementing a Grassroots Strategy Involving Multiple Stakeholders (English & Spanish)

Fred Boltz, Natural Solutions to the Climate Crisis – Critical Policies and Actions (English & Spanish)

Brendan Mackey, The Nature of the Climate – Time to Reunite the UNFCC adn CBD (English & Spanish) – with power-point presentation

• Boyd Norton, writer, photographer, wilderness advocate, “Communicating Conservation and Wilderness” (English & Spanish)
• Ian McCallum, writer, psychologist, wilderness guide and Director of Leadership and Education Projects for the Wilderness Foundation (Africa), was awarded The WILD Writers Award during the Monday (8 November) WILD9 evening plenary session on Communicating Conservation and Wilderness. Ian gave a moving speech following the award presentation.  (English & Spanish)
• Tim Kelly, President of National Geographic Global Media, “Communicating Conservation and Wilderness” (English & Spanish)
• Toby Aykroyd, Director of the Wild Europe Initiative and Vice Chairman of the Wilderness Foundation UK, Global Wilderness Commitments, “Next steps for wilderness in Europe” (English & Spanish)
• Magnus Sylvan, former Director for WWF Europe and Middle East, Global Wilderness Commitments, “Re-wilding Europe” (English & Spanish)
• Omar Vidal, WWF-Gonzalo Río Arronte Foundation Alliance, Wilderness and Water – The Status in Mexico, “Wild nature, the font of our water” (English & Spanish)
• Jose Luis Luege Tamargo, General Director of the National Water Commission (CONAGUA), Wilderness and Water – The Status in Mexico, “Progress for the conservation of water and wilderness” (English & Spanish)
• Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada, Nahanni National Park, Canadian Wilderness and First Nations, (English & Spanish)
• Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, US Navy and (former) Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA), “Earth Observation – An Eye on the Wild Earth” (English & Spanish)
• Grand Chief Samual Gargan, Deh Cho First Nations, Nahanni National Park, Canadian Wilderness and First Nations (English)
• Ramon Perez Gil, Water Program Director for the Gonzalo Rio Arronte Foundation, Wilderness and Water – The Status in Mexico – “Achievements and strategic vision of water in Mexico” (English & Spanish)
• Bob Baron, President of Fulcrum Publishing, “Communicating Conservation and Wilderness” (English & Spanish)

• Drummond Densham (Wilderness Action Group) and Bheki Khoza (Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife), Global Wilderness Commitments, “iMfolozi: The first Wilderness Area Declared in Africa – 50 Years of Wilderness.” (English & Spanish)

• Ernesto Enkerlin, President of the National Commission on Natural Protected Areas of Mexico, Global Wilderness Commitments, representing The Honorable Juan Elvira, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources (Mexico), speaking on international cooperation for wilderness between Canada, Mexico and the United States. (English & Spanish)
• Zoltan Kun, Executive Director of PANParks (Hungary), Global Wilderness Commitments, “The last of the Wild: A Partnership for Protection.” (English & Spanish)
• The Honorable Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Minister of Foreign Affairs Republic of Guyana, Global Wilderness Commitments, “Economic Transformation and Wilderness Conservation” (English & Spanish)
• Sam Hamilton, Chief of the US Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service, Summary keynote following the signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for Wilderness Conservation between Mexico, Canada and the United States (English & Spanish)
• Jon Jarvis, Director of US Department of Interior National Park Service, Summary keynote following the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for Wilderness Conservation Between Mexico, Canada and the United States (English & Spanish)

• Olga Krever, Expert Adviser for the Upper Environmental Council of the Committee for Natural Resources, Nature Use and Ecology of the Russian Federal Parliament, Global Wilderness Commitments, “Russia’s Contribution to Conserving Globally-Significant Wilderness” (English & Spanish)
• Dr. Frantisek Pelc, Deputy Minister of the Environment – Director of Nature and Protection of the Czech Republic, Global Wilderness Commitments,“The European Commitment to Wilderness – Report from Prague” (English & Spanish)

• Carlos Manual Rodriquez, Vice-President for Policy Conservation International, Tierras Silvestres: A Critically Important Protected Area Concept for Latin America (Spanish)
• McKenzy Haber, Marywood Palm Valley School USA,  Why are we here at WILD9 (English & Spanish)
• Chief Taska Yawanawa, Indigenous leader, 4REAL Season 1 (English)
• Dr. Sally Collins, Director of Ecosystem Services and Markets, USDA,  Global Commitments to Wilderness – USA (English & Spanish)
• David Labistour, CEO of the Mountain Equipment Coop (Canada), Meeting the Environmental Challenge – The Corporate Response (English & Spanish)
• Brian J. Smith, President of Coca Cola (Mexico), Meeting the Environmental Challenge – The Corporate Response (English & Spanish)
• The Honorable Jim Prentice, Minister of Environment (Canada), Global Commitments to Wilderness – Canada  (English & Spanish)
• WILD9 Young Professionals Slide Show
• Daniel Servitje, CEO of Grupo Bimbo,  Meeting the Environmental Challenge – The Corporate Response (English & Spanish)
• Armando Garcia, Executive Vice President for Technology, Energy and Sustainability at CEMEX, Launch of the Corporate Commitment to Wilderness (English & Spanish)
• Thomas Lovejoy, Chief Biodiversity Adviser to the President of the World Bank, Senior Adviser to the President of the United Nations Foundation and President of the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and Environment, The Wild Answer to Climate Change (English & Spanish)

With WILD9, the 9th World Wilderness Congress,  just a few short weeks in the past, we’ve already started to post video footage from the plenary sessions online!  For delegates at WILD9 and those who weren’t able to attend, you can now watch many WILD9 presentations online in both English and Spanish.  Over the next several weeks, we’ll continue to role out new video content, and will post a weekly blog with links of each video posted that week.  View all WILD9 video content >

To stay up-to-date with this video content, subscribe to the Talking WILD RSS feed >

Here are the videos currently posted:

• President of Mexico Felipe Calderon, WILD9 Opening Ceremony (English and Spanish)
• Dr. Ian Player (English)
• Sylvia Earle, Introducing Dr. Jane Goodall (English and Spanish)
• Dr. Jane Goodall , “Conservation Heroes and Hope for Our World” (English)
• Bittu Sahgal (English and Spanish)
• Mario Molina , “Climate Change: The Current Status, Potential Impacts, and What We Can Do” (English and Spanish)
• Amory Lovins, “Reinventing Fire: The Profitable Transition from Oil and Coal to Efficiency and Renewables” (English and Spanish)
• Hi Excellency Michael Pierre Jon Tijen Fa, Minister of Physical Planning, Land & Forest Management, Suriname, “In Pursuit of a Green Development Strategy” (English and Spanish)
• Trista Patterson, “What Would Nature Do” (English and Spanish)
• Cleansing Ceremony by Mayan Shamans
• Highlights of the Opening Ceremony including the Stamp Cancellation
• Carlos Manuel Rodriquez, “Tierras Silvestres: A Critically Important Protected Area Concept for Latin America” (English)
• Human Elephant Foundation (English)
• Ilarrion Merculieff , “Native Peoples: Facing Climate Change at Home” (English and Spanish)
• 50 Years of Wilderness in iMfolozi (English)
• The WILD9 Closing Slide Show

The Mensaje de Merida (Message from Merida), continues to gain momentum and support since its launch at WILD9.   With half of the world’s largest conservation organizations including IUCN World Conservation Union, the Sierra Club, the Wilderness Society, Conservation International, the Frankfurt Zoological Society, ProNatura (Mexico), Australian Wilderness Society, Sanctuary Asia, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, and Wilderness Foundation Africa and over 400 individual signers including the WILD9 Executive Committee members, leaders from IUCN and climate specialists such as Thomas Lovejoy, “the widespread support…reflects deep international concern that the climate talks ignore the fact that about 20% of emissions come from destroying wild nature, more than all the emissions from all the world’s automobiles,” commented Harvey Locke, WILD’s VP for Conservation Strategy.

Cyril Kormos, WILD’s VP for Policy, will carry the Message to Copenhagen this week.