Ocelot Leopardus pardalis

Transcription

1 2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE TWO Ocelot Leopardus pardalis Also known as dwarf leopards, these cats are found throughout Central and South America. Hunted for their fur, Ocelots are increasingly rare.

3 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE THREE TANGIBLE RESULTS Rainforest Trust is working to transform the future of the world s tropical areas by creating a secure network of protected reserves. For over 25 years, Rainforest Trust has been a leader in the protection of tropical habitats and the threatened species they support. Our mission is straightforward: We work closely with local communities and conservation leaders to protect threatened tropical forests and save endangered wildlife through land purchase and protected area designation. Since our founding, we have played a central role in the creation of 86 protected areas by partnering directly with in-country organizations that share our expertise and passion for rainforest conservation. Sustained by the steadfast dedication of Rainforest Trust supporters, we have helped conserve nearly eight million acres in 28 countries. Providing a safety net for countless threatened species, these acres enable imperiled wildlife not only to survive, but to rebound and thrive. Our commitment to tropical conservation inspires everything we do. Our innovative approach to rainforest protection makes us one of the most cost-effective international conservation organizations in the U.S. and has earned the highest praise from Charity Navigator and other independent charity evaluators.

4 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE FOUR Dear Friends of Rainforest Trust, From palm oil plantations in Borneo to expanding pasturelands in the Amazon, threats to our planet s rainforests are growing. But with your support, Rainforest Trust is taking many important steps to protect our planet s biodiversity. In 2014, we directly protected 72,996 acres of vulnerable rainforest to save many critically endangered species. At the same time, we expanded the global scope of our work by adding new projects in Borneo, Indonesia, Madagascar, Central Africa and the Philippines. We introduced a Sustainability Fund to ensure that our reserves and their dedicated staff have the necessary resources to secure protection and meet long-term challenges. Finally, looking toward the future, we unveiled the Ark Initiative to expand our impact by forming new conservation partnerships around the globe. The success of this Initiative will be key to meet our ambitious conservation goal of protecting 20 million acres of tropical habitat by None of this would have been possible without your generous support. Sincerely, LETTER FROM THE CEO Dr. Paul Salaman CEO A graduate of Oxford University, Dr. Salaman has dedicated his career to wildlife conservation and exploration, including the discovery of six bird species new to science over the last 20 years.

5 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE FIVE 2014 ACCOMPLISHMENTS CREATED CORRIDOR FOR ORANGUTANS AND PYGMY ELEPHANTS BORNEO FIRST NATIONAL PARK ESTABLISHED IN SEVEN YEARS FOR 12 THREATENED AMPHIBIANS GUATEMALA EXPANDED PROTECTION FOR CHOCÓ RAINFOREST WILDLIFE COLOMBIA NEW PROTECTED AREA FOR IMPERILED JAGUARS IN THE PANTANAL BRAZIL

6 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE SIX Pantanal BRAZIL Covering an area ten times the size of the Florida Everglades, the Pantanal is the world s largest tropical wetland. Located primarily in western Brazil, this unique and highly productive ecosystem is filled with the greatest concentration of wildlife in South America. Although well-preserved, less than 2% of the wetland is federally protected. To secure a refuge for the Pantanal s impressive wildlife, including its thriving Jaguar population, Rainforest Trust partnered with Panthera Brasil to convert a former cattle ranch into 24,640-acre nature reserve. Jaguar Hyacinth Macaw, Giant Otter, Brazilian Tapir, Maned Wolf Wetland and lowland rainforest Jabiru Stork Chamicero de Perijá COLOMBIA Rainforest Trust teamed up with conservation partner ProAves in Colombia to create a new 1,850-acre reserve in the remote Serranía de Perijá mountain range that offers first-time protection for three endemic bird species in one of Colombia s most threatened ecosystems. With 98% of the Serranía de Perijá s forest destroyed, the reserve will protect remaning intact forest and páramo ecosystems. This conservation victory conserves habitat for endangered bird species found nowhere else, safeguards a critical source of water for human consumption, and saves the last remnants of a vanishing cloud forest sheltering several newly discovered species. Perijá Thistletail, Perijá Metaltail, Perijá Brush-finch, Perijá Antpitta Perijá Thistletail Montane cloud forest and páramo (Andean grassland)

7 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE SEVEN Sierra Caral GUATEMALA Established with Rainforest Trust s support in 2012, Guatemala s Sierra Caral Amphibian Reserve grew by 41,000 acres when it was designated a national park by Guatemala s National Congress in This expansion was made possible in large part due to the tireless efforts of Rainforest Trust s Guatemalan partner FUNDAECO. Located near Guatemala s Caribbean coast, the Sierra Caral mountain range remains one of the nation s most biodiverse landscapes. Among other imperiled species, the new designation offers increased protection for a dozen globally threatened amphibians. Blue Pit Viper, Wake s Moss Salamander, Copan Stream Frog Lowland rainforest Northern Banana Salamander Orangutan Corridor MALAYSIAN BORNEO As rainforest in Borneo is rapidly destroyed, the island s Orangutan and Pygmy Elephant populations are increasingly imperiled. To ensure their survival, Rainforest Trust teamed up with Malaysian partner HUTAN to buy more than a dozen properties along the Kinabatangan River, creating a wildlife corridor between the Keruak Forest Reserve and the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary. The corridor will allow Orangutans and Pygmy Elephants to move safely among the reserves while also safeguarding their future and protecting key habitat for over 220 mammal species. Orangutan, Bornean Pygmy Elephant, Proboscis Monkey Tropical rainforest Orangutan

8 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE EIGHT Toucan Barbet Las Tangaras COLOMBIA The Chocó rainforest, legendary for its biological richness, received increased protection when Rainforest Trust supported ProAves in the purchase of 1,772 acres to expand the Las Tangaras Reserve. Although the Chocó rainforest has received only scant study, preliminary findings indicate it holds some of the highest concentrations of endemic species in the world. The reserve, located near Colombia s Pacific Coast, is a stronghold for rare bird species like the Gold-ringed Tanager, Rose-faced Parrot, and the Chocó Vireo. The expansion of the Las Tangaras Reserve will offer these and other threatened species new hope of survival. Chocó Vireo, Gold-ringed Tanager, Spectacled Bear Gold-ringed Tanager Lowland rainforest to highland cloud forest Río Canandé ECUADOR Ecuador s Chocó rainforest received protection when Rainforest Trust collaborated with partner Jocotoco to enlarge the Rio Canandé Reserve by 1,222 acres. The Rio Canandé Reserve hosts an incredible diversity of animal species. Among its most threatened are Great Green Macaws and Brown-headed Spider Monkeys, one of Ecuador s most endangered primate species. Due to the high level of endemism and the increasing threats facing this region, such as deforestation and the spread of African oil palm plantations, Rainforest Trust and Fundación Jocotoco have made expansion of the Río Canandé Reserve a priority. Brown-headed Spider Monkey, Mache Glass Frog, Great Green Macaw, Banded Ground-Cuckoo Lowland rainforest to montane cloud forest Great Green Macaw

9 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE NINE Serra Bonita BRAZIL Rainforest Trust supported its Brazilian conservation partner Instituto Uiraçu in the purchase of six properties that expanded the Serra Bonita Reserve by 986 acres. The new properties enlarge the reserve s size to more than 6,700 acres. In the mountains of eastern Brazil, the reserve protects one of the last intact remnants of the Atlantic Rainforest, an area more biodiverse than the Amazon Basin. Much of the forest within the Serra Bonita Reserve is pristine, and its protection has allowed local wildlife to rebound. Pumas, among other species, have returned to the area and are frequently seen. Spot-billed Toucanet Yellow-breasted Capuchin, Northern Brown Howler Monkey, Pink-legged Gravetiro Lowland rainforest to submontane cloud forest Wied s Marmoset REGUA Reserve BRAZIL REGUA, a large family farm for several generations, is a testament to nature s ability to heal itself, if given a chance. Native tree species, painstakingly planted by hand, have grown tall and are thriving. This reserve (north of Rio de Janeiro) has once again become part of the rainforest, and abundant wildlife has returned. In 2014 Rainforest Trust helped REGUA purchase an additional 593 acres, expanding protection of Brazil s Atlantic Rainforest, of which only a fragmented 7% remains. Regua is home to 455 bird species, 89 reptile and amphibian species, and 80 mammal species. Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu Woolly Spider Monkey, Puma, Red-billed Currasow Puma Mata Atlântica, Brasil Lowland and montane rainforest

10 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE TEN El Paujíl COLOMBIA With Rainforest Trust s support, Colombian partner ProAves successfully completed the purchase of 494 acres that will expand the El Paujíl Reserve, located in Central Colombia, and provide critical protection for the Bluebilled Curassow. With as few as 150 mature individuals remaining, this critically endangered bird is considered one of the most endangered on the planet. In addition to protecting the only viable population of the Blue-billed Curassow known to exist, the reserve provides refuge for other threatened species such as the Spectacled Bear, Magdalena Spider Monkey, and Magdalena Tapir. Blue-billed Curassow, Magdalena Spider Monkey, Spectacled Bear, Magdalena Tapir Blue-billed Currasow Tropical rainforest Río Ayampe ECUADOR Collaborating with Ecuadorian partner Jocotoco, Rainforest Trust supported the purchase of 65 acres to expand the Río Ayampe Reserve. Located along Ecuador s Pacific coast, the Río Ayampe Reserve protects critical habitat for the Esmeraldas Woodstar, one of the world s rarest and smallest hummingbirds. Total populations of the critically endangered bird, which measures only 2.5 in length, are thought to number between 500 and 1,000. Rainforest Trust aided Jocotoco in the establishment of the Río Ayampe Reserve in Since then, the size of the reserve has more than doubled. Esmereldas Woodstar, Greybacked Hawk, Ochre-bellied Dove, Blackish-headed Spinetail Lowland rainforest Esmereldas Woodstar

11 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE ELEVEN Dracula Reserve ECUADOR Rainforest Trust and conservation partner Fundación EcoMinga collaborated to establish a new 513-acre reserve in Ecuador s Chocó rainforest that will protect two species of the rare Dracula orchid. Named for the blood red color of their sepals, Dracula orchids are highly endemic with 90 percent of all species found at three or fewer locations. Twenty-five percent of all known orchid species are found in Colombia and Ecuador. Because these orchids are so restricted in their habitat requirements, they are inherently susceptible to extinction by forest loss. The new reserve will protect Dracula orchids from agricultural expansion and other threats. Dracula Orchid Dracula and Lepanthes Orchid species, Choco Vireo, Spectacled Bear Cloud forest Spectacled Bear El Dorado COLOMBIA Since 2006, ProAves has purchased a dozen properties in the Santa Marta Range to establish and expand the El Dorado Reserve. The reserve protects one of the last intact cloud forest ecosystems in the region and is home to nine critically endangered wildlife species. Rainforest Trust supported ProAves efforts to expand the reserve - which now totals 1,981-acres - and increase protection for the area s most endangered species in Colombia s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Range is home to the planet s highest concentrations of endemic birds and amphibians. The range provides refuge to over 600 bird species, including more than 20 found nowhere else, such as the Santa Marta Parakeet and the Santa Marta Warbler. Harlequin Frog, Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Warbler, Santa Marta Toro Santa Marta Parakeet Cloud forest

12 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE TWELVE 2014 AND BEYOND A series of bold initiatives will help tackle rainforest threats by expanding and strengthening Rainforest Trust s conservation efforts in the coming years. In our fast-changing world, threats to rainforest biodiversity manifest themselves with ever-increasing scope and speed. These complex challenges present unprecedented dangers to rainforests that demand urgent and innovative answers. We set out to address these challenges in 2014 by developing large-scale solutions that proactively address rainforest destruction and habitat loss. The result is a series of landmark initiatives that dramatically expand the impact of Rainforest Trust s conservation efforts while helping to combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions from deforestation. Over the course of the next five years, these projects will save millions of acres and significantly improve protection of existing reserves. We are confident that with the backing of Rainforest Trust s strong and growing community, we can protect our planet s threatened rainforests and ensure that future generations continue to benefit from our world s rich tropical legacy. The Amazon Basin South America Producing 20 percent of the world s oxygen, the Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world. The forest is severely threatened by cattle ranches, subsistence agriculture, and logging.

13 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE THIRTEEN ARK INITIATIVE By expanding Rainforest Trust s partner network, the Ark Initiative will protect a total of 20 million acres of endangered wildlife habitat by To broaden its successful model of protected area establishment, Rainforest Trust launched the Ark Initiative in November This long-term program will protect a total of 20 million acres of critical rainforest habitat by The initiative provides new partnership and funding opportunities to conservation organizations across the tropics that are committed to establishing and expanding protected areas for the most threatened species. Since launch of the Ark Initiative in November, Rainforest Trust has acquired three new conservation projects that will protect 406,522 acres. This includes protection for Jaguars in Guatemala; Sumatran Tigers, Orangutans and Elephants in Indonesia; and critically endangered amphibian populations in Ghana. Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus These parrots found in central South America are the largest in the world. They are threatened due to habitat loss and trapping.

14 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE FOURTEEN SUSTAINABILITY FUND The presence of well-trained forest guards can mean the difference between life and death for species on the brink of extinction. Effectively safeguarding the nearly eight million acres that Rainforest Trust helped protect over the last 25 years is an enormous undertaking. To continue this important work, Rainforest Trust created the Sustainability Fund. It will provide ongoing support to our in-country partners and the forest guards that act as frontline wildlife defenders. The Sustainability Fund is an endowment to help finance forest guard training, equipment, salaries and housing. This kind of comprehensive support will allow forest guards to continue playing an instrumental role in patrolling reserve borders, coordinating restoration efforts, and protecting endangered species. With new rainforest threats constantly emerging, the Sustainability Fund is needed now more than ever. This fund will help maintain the highest levels of wildlife protection and ensure that Rainforest Trust s reserves remain outstanding examples of successful conservation.

15 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE FIFTEEN JAGUAR INITIATIVE Once inhabiting a territory stretching from the U.S. to Argentina, Jaguars face an increasingly uncertain future - Rainforest Trust is helping to change that. With the large-scale advancement of agricultural and ranching activities, humans have come into increasing conflict with Jaguars throughout much of the big cat s range. In nearly all cases, Jaguars are the losers and have suffered dramatic population losses due to habitat loss and hunting. With their historic range reduced by more than 50%, these magnificent animals are now listed by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) as near threatened. If decisive action is not taken quickly, they will likely join a growing number of animals on the endangered species list. In 2014, Rainforest Trust launched its ambitious Million Acre Jaguar Initiative to proactively meet this challenge. The project will conserve one million acres across Latin America by September 2015, providing imperiled Jaguars with the habitat they need to survive. Rainforest Trust s comprehensive Jaguar initiative recognizes that threats to Jaguars are complex and requires more than a single solution. Working in collaboration with in-country partners, we are implementing sustainable site-specific solutions that reflect diverse regional conditions and involve the efforts of local communities and conservation leaders. ONE YEAR. ONE MILLION ACRES. Jaguars have lost more than half their range. Rainforest Trust s Million Acre Jaguar Initiative will help ensure a future for these imperiled big cats by protecting over one million acres of prime jaguar habitat throughout Latin America. JAGUAR PAST PRESENT SECURING A FUTURE FOR JAGUARS.

16 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE SIXTEEN Board of Directors John Mitchell, Chair New York Botanical Gardens Leslie Danoff, Vice-Chair Danova Productions Sally F. Davidson, Treasurer Clyde s Restaurant Group Dr. Wayt Thomas, Secretary New York Botanical Gardens Dr. Thomas Lovejoy Heinz Center Robert Giles EcoTurs Eric Veach Google Edith McBean Conservation Philanthropist Sommer V. Chatwin Bridgewater Associates Brett Byers Conservation Philanthropist Jeffrey Zack ACE Group LEADERSHIP Staff Dr. Robert Ridgely President Dr. Paul Salaman CEO Malissa Cadwallader COO & Director of Development Christine Hodgdon International Conservation Manager Rachael Poor Donor Relations Manager Vanessa Emerson Development Associate/ Africa Conservation Assistant Christina Davies Foundation & Corporate Relations Manager Joe Lowe Communications Director Cat Kutz Conservation Outreach Manager Will Thomas Digital Media Specialist Jesse Lewis Rainforest Education Coordinator Patricia Munoz-Chernitsky Finance Manager

17 ANNUAL REPORT PAGE SEVENTEEN FINANCIAL SUMMARY Income Individual Donations 54.3% Organization Support 23.3% Corporate Gifts 11.6% Foundation Grants 9.3% Interest/Dividends 0.9% Combined Federal Campaign 0.6% Expenses Conservation 93.0% Development/Communications 5.0% Administration 2.0% *Pre-Audit Figures 3,168,913 1,357, , ,185 51,368 35,110 Total $ 5,835,423* 4,360, ,594 91,520 Total $ 4,690,324*

18 RAINFOREST TRUST PAGE EIGHTEEN Photo Credits Cover: Eric Kilby 2: Shutterstock 3: Shutterstock 4: Jeff Zack 5: Ch ien Lee, Robin Moore, Elena Gailard, Shutterstock 6: Jeff Zack, John Mitchell, ProAves 7: Robin Moore 8: ProAves, Francesco Veronesi, Eric Kilby 9: Luis Cláudio Marigo, Nick Jewell 10: ProAves, Bert Harris 11: Andreas Kay, Elena Gailard, ProAves 12: Thomas Müeller 13: Steve Winter 14: ProAves 15: Shutterstock 16: Joe Lowe 17: Joe Lowe 18: Thomas Müeller 19: Thomas Müeller

19 ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT PAGE REPORT NINETEEN PAGE X

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