A Selection of WILD's Past Field Projects
Zakouma Elephants
Late in August of 2006 Mike Fay, a WILD trustee and Wildlife Conservation Society biologist, lead a survey crew in Zakouma National Park (Chad) which discovered 5 elephant massacre sites, totaling over 100 poaching kills in just 8 days. Seeing the need for a rapid response to the crisis in Zakouma, WILD with WCS, the Chadian government and several key funders organized the purchase and deployments of a surveillance aircraft to deter and detain poachers. Read more about this rapid response effort >
International League of Conservation Photographers
Established during the 8th World Wilderness Congress (Alaska, 2005) and ‘incubated’ as a program within WILD for 5 years, the iLCP works to to further environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography. With a dynamic combination of art, conservation, policy and action, the iLCP uses awe-inspiring photography as a powerful force for the environment. Learn more >
Cheetah Conservation Fund
WILD was instrumental, for 12 years, in establishing and growing the Cheetah Conservation Fund into what it is today, one of the world’s most effective and respected field-based programs. Working closely as always with Laurie Marker, CCF’s founder, WILD then helped form an influential CCF board of directors based in the US, and created CCF as a distinct non-profit conservation organization. WILD’s President, Vance Martin, continues to serve as a Trustee of CCF. Here is a quick summary of our work together>
The WILD Awards
The WILD Awards: Advertising with Integrity for Nature was established by WILD in 1998. The WILD Awards for Advertising is based on a simple concept: commercial actors and celebrities are well-compensated for their work in advertising… why not nature?The result of companies “giving back” to help protect and sustain wild nature is a winner for wildlife and wilderness – and all of us. In a series of industry ads to promote this campaign, our collaborators at Green Team USA (an environmental ad agency based in New York City) capture the purpose exactly by saying : “Some underpaid actors go on strike..others go extinct!©” Read more about The WILD Awards >
Embocraft
One of our collaborators in South Africa is EmboCraft, an education, training and rural development NGO in South Africa. WILD and Embocraft have collaborated on two successful programs to train poor rural people – mostly black women – in environmental awareness, while producing revenue-earning crafts. The trainings usually involve craft instruction for the women (dying, stitching, etc) and some very basic business skills, combined with a workshop in which the women – especially the “gogos” or grandmothers – tell environmental stories. The stories are then the basis for production of painted or stitched squares that eventually end up as parts of a quilted wall hanging – an item for sale. Read more about Embocraft >
Zambezi Valley Training
In September 2006, WILD assisted with a training in the Zambezi Valley on wilderness concepts and practice. The training was held at the Rifa Education Camp in Zimbabwe in partnership with The Zambezi Society, The Wildereness Action Group and the Centre for Environment, Agriculture and Development a the Univserity of KwaZulu-Natal. Twenty participants from the Parks and Wildlife Authorites of Zambia and Zimbabwe attended to gain a greater understanding of teh values and benefits of wilderness for biodiversity conservation and the local communities of the Zambezi region. Read the full report >