2014 Whitley Awards

Speakers

Our host Kate Humble

Kate Humble is one of the UK’s mostloved wildlife presenters, best knownfor her work on programmes such asSpringwatch and Lambing Live. She isVice President of the Wildfowl andWetlands Trust, a Fellow of ZoologicalSociety of London and formerPresident of the RSPB. Kate ispassionate about grassroots actionand runs her farm in Monmouthshireas a rural skills teaching centerconnecting people with farming in the countryside – the subject of her book ‘Humble by Nature: lifelambs and a dog called Badger’. Visit www.humblebynature.com tofind out more.

Whitley Gold Award Winner Jean Wiener

Jean is Founder and Director ofFoProBiM, Haiti’s only NGO engagedin coastal and marine environmentalmanagement and protection. Jeanfirst received funding from WFN in2006 before becoming a full WhitleyAward winner in 2008 and receivingContinuation Funding in 2010. A localHaitian, Jean has worked for 20 yearsto gain support from communities andthe government to ensure sustainablemanagement of the country’svulnerable coastal resources andhabitats. Thanks largely to the work ofJean and his team; Haiti saw thecreation of its first two MPAs in 2013.

Patron HRH The Princess Royal

The Princess Royal has been thepatron of the Whitley Fund for Naturesince 1999. Known for her charitablework, and as the patron of 320organisations, she carries out about500 royal engagements and publicappearances a year, and maintains aremarkable commitment to thecauses she supports. During her 15years as the patron of WFN, she hasmet over 100 of our Whitley Awardwinners, and has visited winners inBrazil, Croatia and Colombia to seetheir work first-hand.

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Programme

With many thanks to:Sir David AttenboroughWFN Trustee and narrator, 2014 winner films

7.00pm Reception

8.00pm Kate Humble –welcome to the WhitleyAwards 2014

Edward Whitley, Founder

Finalist films and speeches

Introducing PartnershipFunding by Fondation Segré

Presentation of Awards by HRH The Princess Royal

Presentation of theWhitley Gold Award to Jean Wiener

HRH The Princess Royal,Patron

9.10pm Drinks and supper

Britain’s best-known natural history film-maker, Sir David Attenborough’s distinguished career inbroadcasting spans over 50 years. Originally azoologist and geologist by training, David hastravelled to some of the world’s remotest regions,and is an enthusiastic advocate of internationalaction to save wildlife and their habitat fromdestruction by human activities. Sir David wasknighted in 1985. In January 2005, WFN werehonored to welcome him as a Trustee andsupporter of the charity.

Welcome to the 21stWhitley Awards Ceremony

Last year, when the charity celebrated its 20th anniversary, we took time to reflect on thefar-reaching impact of our winners over the lasttwo decades. We celebrated this milestone with a series of events and we were delighted towelcome new supporters.

This year, building on the increased momentum,the charity has given over £1,300,000 in funding –more than ever before – to our chosenconservation projects.

This includes Partnership Funding by FondationSegré which we are excited to launch along withthe expansion of our Continuation Fundingprogramme as we look to the future and thegrowing needs of conservationists. PartnershipFunding will provide a significant sum, €1.5million over the next three years, shared amongfour of our past winners. This higher level andlonger-term funding, generously donated byFondation Segré, will enable the winners to bemore ambitious and

expand their work, achieving lasting change forendangered species and habitats.

Our network of conservation leaders continues toexpand. This year we welcome eight new Finalistsfrom Kenya, Philippines, Malaysia, Bulgaria,Ecuador, Cuba and Indonesia. They have beenselected from over 170 applicants and eachwinner will receive £35,000 in project funding tosupport their work over the coming year.

Each Finalist has taken part in a busy week ofactivities, including professional media and speechtraining to help them to maximise the impact ofthe attention which they will receive. We havealso held a number of events to introduce winnersto our loyal and generous supporters as well asrepresentatives from UK and European basedcharities.

We are also delighted to welcome the 2014winner of the Whitley Gold Award, Haitian conservationist Jean Wiener. Jean received a

Whitley Award in 2008 for his work to conserveHaiti’s coastal ecosystems and he has beenselected as this year’s Gold winner in recognitionof his ongoing work which has in the past 12 months led to the creation of Haiti’s firstMarine Protected Areas. Jean will receive up to£50,000 in project funding over one year, hasjoined this year’s Whitley Award Judging Paneland served as a valuable mentor to the newwinners.

On behalf of the charity and our winners, thankyou very much indeed for your generous support.Without your donations, our winners would not beable to carry out their work.

Please join us in welcoming the 2014 WhitleyAward winners.

Edward Whitley, OBEFounder, Whitley Fund for Nature

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Luis TorresCuba

Monica GonzalezEcuador

Jean WienerHaiti

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The Whitley Fund for Nature is a fundraising andgrant-giving nature conservation charity offeringrecognition, training and grants to support the work of proven grassroots conservationleaders in developing countries.

The Whitley AwardsA high-profile conservation prizeworth £35,000 in project funding overone year. Also known as the ‘GreenOscars’, the Awards are woncompetitively following assessmentby a top academic panel and arepresented by our Patron, HRH ThePrincess Royal, at the annualCeremony in London.

Continuation FundingWhitley Award winners join a networkof over 160 conservation leaders in 70 different countries, but our supportdoesn’t end there. We offer additionalContinuation Funding grants of up to£70,000 over two years to help ourmost successful past winners scale-up their work to the next level.

Gold AwardEach year a member of our alumninetwork is selected to receive theWhitley Gold Award, a profile and PR prize worth up to £50,000 inproject funding, awarded inrecognition of their outstandingcontribution to conservation.

Partnership FundingThis year we have joined forces withFondation Segré, to developPartnership Funding – exciting newgrants worth €337,500 each overthree years. These have beenAwarded to four of our most impactfulwinners to deliver longer-term, highlevel support reflecting the quality,scale and urgency of their work.

Since 1994, we have given over £10 million tosupport the work of morethan 160 conservationists.Together they form anetwork of local leadersoperating in countries wherefunds are most needed andoften hardest to raise.

“The growing network of winners representssome of the best conservation leaders in theworld. The range of challenges they face isremarkable, their solutions are diverse; andtogether their reach is truly global.” WFN Trustee, Sir David Attenborough

2014 Finalists

Past Whitley Award winners

Past Gold Award winners

2014 Gold Award winner

Paula KahumbuKenya

Shivani BhallaKenya

Tess Gatan BalbasPhilippines

Fitry PakidingIndonesia

Melvin GumalMalaysia

Stoycho StoychevBulgaria

A recent internal review by partner,WWF-UK, assessing WFN over the last five years found that WFN:

n Offer excellent value for money.n Achieve great results in raisingwinners’ profiles, which has a largeimpact on their success and careerdevelopment.n Provide winners with flexibility and exhibit good responsiveness as a grant-giver.

Current active grants:£1.871m

Whitley Awards*

l £0.355mContinuation

Fundingl £1.143mPartnership

Fundingl £0.373m

“Whitley Award winners hail from all over the world, but they all havein common a fierce commitment and determination to make a realdifference to local people and wildlife in their home countries.” WFN Patron, HRH The Princess Royal *Includes Gold Award winners

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Judging PanelChairman Edward WhitleyTrustee, WFN

Ros AvelingDeputy Chief Executive, Fauna and Flora InternationalDr. Glyn Davies Director of Programmes, WWF-UKGeorgina DombergerDirector, WFNTim DyeTrustee, WFNDr. Simon LysterTrustee, World Land TrustDavid WallisDeputy Director, WFNJean WienerFounder, FoProBiMWhitley Gold Award winner 2014

Africa 38Asia 44Americas 11Europe 5Oceania 2

Total 174

Application ScreenersDr. Deepak ApteChief Operating Officer, BombayNatural History Society, 2008 Whitley Award winner Prof. E.J. Milner-Gulland Professor in Conservation Science,Imperial College LondonDr. Charudutt MishraInternational Science andConservation Director, SnowLeopard Trust, Whitley Gold Awardwinner 2005Dr. Mary Pearl Provost at Macaulay Honors College& Professor of Biology at BrooklynCollege David WallisDeputy Director, WFN

Application process

Who is applying?Applications for the Whitley Awards 2014 By Continent %

AwardTimetable

Following our call for proposals, 174 applications for the Whitley Awardwere received this year from 59 countries. A big thank you once again toour voluntary Application Screeners and Judging Panel members, whoworked through four stages of assessment to reach our final shortlist.

The 2014 Whitley Award Finalists

Shivani Bhalla Warrior Watch: Enabling thecoexistence of people and lions in northern KenyaKenya

Love for lionsInspired by the book ‘Born Free’ byJoy Adamson, Shivani’s passion forconservation, and big cats inparticular, began whilst growing up inKenya. She is now Founder andDirector of Ewaso Lions, an NGOestablished in 2007 to promotehuman-carnivore coexistence.

Uncertain futureKenya’s lions now number less than2,000 and could become extinct in thenext two decades if action isn’t taken.This decline is due to habitat loss andconflict with humans as lions predatelocal livestock and are often killed inretaliation. Ewaso Lions works in theEwaso Nyiro Ecosystem in northernKenya a key area for large carnivoresand home to the country’s third largestlion population.

Building capacityEwaso Lions employs effectivecommunity-based conservation andresearch to conserve this critical lionpopulation. Its ‘Warrior Watch’ project,which empowers young Samburuwarriors to become wildlifeambassadors, works to reducehuman-wildlife conflict and improvetolerance of predators througheducation and capacity-building. As aresult, this is one of the only regionsin Kenya where lion populations haveincreased outside of fenced areas inthe past five years.

Shivani’s project aims to:n Reduce human-carnivore conflict inthe Ewaso Nyiro Ecosystem byequipping people with the tools andknowledge to protect their livestock.n Build capacity of marginalisedSamburu warriors by scaling-up herproven Warrior Watch project.n Carry out a lion population census,monitor prey and map lion habitat toinform conservation action.

Why it matters:n African lions have declined by 90% in the last 75 years. n Human-wildlife conflict is a majorcause of lion decline in Kenya.n This is the first programme toactively involve warriors in wildlifeconservation in the region.

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“When I began studyinglions, I first talked to as

many local people as I could. After all – they know best!”

www.ewasolions.org

Stoycho Stoychev The Imperial eagle as a flagship forconserving the wild grasslands ofsouth-eastern BulgariaBulgaria

The Country of EaglesOnce known as the Country of Eagles,by the end of the 20th century, onlyeight Imperial eagle nests remained in Bulgaria due to the loss of itshabitat, reduction in prey, electrocutionfrom over-head pylons, nest poachingand illegal killing.

Population recoveryStoycho Stoychev is the ConservationDirector of the Bulgarian Society forthe Protection of Birds (BSPB). Thanksto his efforts, the Imperial eaglepopulation in Bulgaria has doubledover the last decade, to 25 breedingpairs. By establishing the eagle as aflagship for wild grassland habitats,Stoycho is bringing this species backfrom the brink of national extinctionwhilst protecting other endangeredspecies including the Europeansouslik, Marbled polecat, Saker falconand Land tortoise.

A new threatWhile Imperial eagle habitat is formallyprotected as part of the EuropeanUnion Natura 2000 network, theaccession of Bulgaria to the EU hasheralded a new threat, as agriculturalsubsidies have triggered large scaleploughing of grassland pastures,which threatens the remaining eaglepopulation. More profitable andenvironmentally friendly farmingsubsidies are available, but remainlittle known and difficult to apply for.

With his project Stoycho will:n Enable farmers to apply for andimplement agri-environmentalmeasures that conserve eagle habitatand boost their own income.n Develop environmentally friendlybusinesses based on eco-tourism andsustainable farming. n Train local communities inparticipatory monitoring and nestguarding.

Why it matters:n Bulgaria is the poorest country in the EU so for conservation to be successful, it must also benefitlocal people.n Bulgaria’s breeding population ofImperial eagles accounts for 20% ofthe EU population.n Eagles can generate local incomethrough bird watching tourism.

“Our nest-guarding programmehas significantly increasedbreeding success and the

survival of juvenile eagles.”9

www.bspb.org

A vital stronghold Jamursba Medi and Wermon beaches in the Bird’s Head Seascapeof West Papua host the largestremaining nesting aggregation ofleatherback turtles in the Pacific.Although leatherbacks are no longerexploited on these beaches, lowhatchling success has hindered therecovery of this critically endangeredpopulation and poaching still occurs inother areas.

Protection amidst povertyLocal communities legally own thesebeaches, and the success of effortsto reverse leatherback declineultimately lies in gaining their support.However communities here live inextreme poverty, which hasundermined their ability to supportmarine turtle conservation. Elsewherein the region, a lack of enforcementenables the sale of leatherback meatand eggs to persist.

Part of the communityFitryanti Pakiding is a researcher andlecturer with the State University ofPapua. She leads a communityprogramme aimed at working towards‘Conservation Villages’, wherebiodiversity conservation goes hand inhand with improving local peoples’quality of life.

Fitry’s ambitious project aims to:n Empower communities to becomeguardians of leatherbacks and theirhabitat, whilst increasing locallivelihood opportunities.n Strengthen enforcement practicesto prevent the poaching of turtles andtheir eggs.n Raise awareness of turtleconservation among young people andensure government decisions arealigned with conservation goals.

Why it matters:n The Pacific population of leatherbackturtles is critically endangered.n Their evolutionary roots can betraced back over 100 million years.n Jamursba Medi and Wermonbeaches support 75% of annualleatherback nesting in the region.

Fitry Pakiding Uniting coastal communities tosecure the last stronghold ofPacific leatherback turtles Indonesia

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“When we provide communitieswith activities that benefit them,

they show enthusiasm andappreciation towards our project.”

www.unipa

.ac.id

Monica Gonzalez Community conservation of thelong-wattled umbrellabird and itsdisappearing habitatEcuador

Generation to generationEcuadorian conservationist, Monicagrew up in the Andes Mountains,where her grandparents inspired herto appreciate nature. She is nowDirector of the Foundation for theConservation of the Tropical Andes(FCAT), driven by a desire to create anenvironmental legacy for her childrenand the people of Ecuador.

Rapid fragmentationFCAT is based in the Mache-ChindulReserve, and is part of the Chocóbiogeographic zone, one of the mostbiologically diverse areas in the world.The humid rainforest here is home tothe charismatic long-wattledumbrellabird, a species that plays acritical role in maintaining healthyforests through seed dispersal.However, deforestation is occurring atan alarming rate in northwestEcuador, and the umbrellabird isdisappearing as the forest becomesfragmented.

Conservation symbolMonica works to protect and expandthe remaining forest fragmentsthrough scientific research, educationand development of economicalternatives, focusing on empoweringlocal communities. Over the lastdecade, Monica’s efforts havesuccessfully established theumbrellabird as a symbol forconservation amongst local people.

Monica’s project aims to:n Identify, protect and expand forestfragments through community-basedmanagement and reforestation.n Develop sustainable economicalternatives in eco-tourism and smallscale agriculture.n Improve understanding of theimportance of conserving forestfragments among local stakeholders.

Why it matters:n 96% of umbrella bird habitat hasbeen lost in northwest Ecuador.n Conservation of the long-wattledumbrellabird will also benefit otherwildlife such as primates and big cats.n The construction of a highway that will bisect the Mache-ChindulReserve is imminent, making effectiveconservation management even more vital.11

“The long-wattled umbrellabird,or ‘cow of the mountain’, is a

source of pride for local residents.”

www.fcat-ecuad

or.org

Melvin Gumal Protecting Borneo’s iconic great apes: Conservation of orang-utans in SarawakMalaysia

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Community conservationIn 1990 Melvin initiated Sarawak’spioneering Integrated Conservationand Development Project whichinvolved local Iban land owners inprotected area management for thefirst time. He now works withstakeholders at all levels to protectover 2,000 km2 of contiguous orang-utan habitat in Sarawak which is home to the rarest subspecies ofBornean orang-utan, Pongo pygmaeuspygmaeus.

Steep declineIn the past 20 years, over half of theBornean orang-utan’s habitat hasdisappeared as forest is lost tologging, mining and fire or convertedto oil palm plantations. During the last60 years the species has declined byover 50%, with the majority of thoseremaining living outside protectedareas. Hunting of orang-utans forbushmeat and sale to the pet trade isalso a growing problem.

Increased protectionMelvin is Director of the MalaysiaProgramme at the WildlifeConservation Society. He is leading aprogramme to increase the amount ofBornean orang-utan habitat underprotection in the Engkari-TelausCommunity Conservation Landscapein Sarawak, and create anenvironment where orang-utans havean opportunity to thrive alongside localcommunities.

With his project Melvin will::n Conduct surveys in parts of the landscape that have not yet been studied.n Use the results to secure legalprotection of these areas and otherimportant habitat for orang-utans inthe region.n Educate local Iban people to reducehunting of these primates and instilpride in local wildlife.

Why it matters:n If action isn’t taken, orang-utans will be lost from the wild within a few decades.n Conserving orang-utan habitatbenefits countless other species.n Orang-utans have culturalimportance and could bring revenueto local people through eco-tourism.

“We all need to contribute tosaving nature and not assume thatothers will do it for us. For somespecies, time is not on our side.”

www.w

csmalaysia.org

Tess Gatan Balbas Taking local action to save theworld’s rarest crocodile

Philippines

Misunderstood The endemic and critically endangeredPhilippine crocodile is one of the rarest animals on the planet. Although respected by indigenouscommunities, the crocodiles have animage problem with outsiders. To many they are viewed as man-eaters and are even associatedwith corrupt politicians! In reality, the crocodile is small and will notattack people unless provoked.

On the brinkPreviously widely distributedthroughout the Philippines, thisspecies is now only found in NorthernLuzon and South-western MindanaoIslands. Occurring mostly outside ofprotected areas, crocodiles arethreatened by hunting and habitatloss. Hatchling survival is also verylow and there are not enough unspoiltwater bodies for juvenile crocodiles togrow up in safety.

Vital supportThanks to Tess and her team atMabuwaya Foundation, communitysupport for crocodile and wetlandconservation on Luzon Island hasalready been mobilised withconsiderable success. Fourcommunity managed crocodilesanctuaries have been established andthe crocodile population has increasedfrom just 12 in 2001 to more than 100 in 2012. The number of crocodilekillings by humans has also decreasedfrom thirteen in 1998 to one in 2013.

Her project aims to:n Increase the Philippine crocodilepopulation through nest protection,head-starting and release of hatchlingcrocodiles, and habitat restoration.n Create two new crocodilesanctuaries and build capacity for their protection.n Engage local communities inconservation through education andawareness campaigns.

Why it matters:n Fewer than 100 non-hatchlingPhilippine crocodiles remain in thewild with only 10 adults occurring inLuzon Island. nWithout urgent conservation action the Philippine crocodile willbecome extinct.n The species occurs nowhere elseon Earth.

“The people we work with wantto protect the crocodiles. Theydon’t fear the animal anymore

but are very proud of it.”13

www.m

abuw

aya.org

Luis Torres Building a national movement to protect Cuba’s amazing plant lifeCuba

A passion for plantsChristopher Columbus described Cubaas “the most beautiful land thathuman eyes had ever seen”. In oneshort journey, a visitor can experiencedeserts and rainforests, lowlands andmountains, valleys and cliffs; alluniquely embellished by an ancientand rare flora. Luis, Head ofConservation of the Cuban BotanicalSociety, launched the Planta!Campaign in 2012 as a nationwideeffort to inspire the preservation ofthis diverse mosaic of plant life.

The Caribbean’s richest floraCuba hosts one of the four richestisland floras of the world and supports7,500 species of flowering plant, morethan half of that of the entireCaribbean. 53% of all Cuban plantspecies are endemic to the country.Plants have cultural, economic andmedicinal value and perform crucialecosystem services. Undervalued

Poor awareness of the importance,value and perilous situation of Cuba’sflora means that allocation ofresources for conservation isinsufficient and exacerbated by poorenforcement of legislation andinadequate commitment of citizensand decision-makers. A lack of skilledconservation practitioners at local levelalso reduces the effectiveness ofconservation actions, limiting thedevelopment of local initiatives.

His project aims to:n Educate Cubans about theimportance of their native flora andinspire them to conserve it.n Build capacity for developing andimplementing community-basedconservation projects. n Connect conservationists nationwideto create a network where resourcesand expertise can be exchanged.

Why it matters:n Cuba has the greatest plant diversityof the Caribbean Biodiversity Hotspot.n The endemism of Cuban plantcommunities can reach up to 85%, making their conservation ofglobal importance.nMining, urban development andunsustainable harvesting threatenCuban plants.

“The greatest contributions come from local peoplewho are encouraged,

committed and trained.”14

www.in

iciativaplan

ta.org

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Paula Kahumbu Hands off our elephants: Delivering African leadership toaddress Kenya’s poaching crisisKenya

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A voice for elephantsPaula Kahumbu is the ExecutiveDirector of WildlifeDirect and leads theHands Off Our Elephants campaign,launched in 2013. One of the Kenya’smost influential conservation voices,Paula believes that the country’sexperience and historical knowledgeof elephants places it in a leading rolein the global effort to save the speciesfrom extinction.

An African IconAfrican elephants are the largest landanimal on Earth and are totems formany African tribes. Kenya is home tothe longest running studies onelephants which have revealed thatthey can distinguish between differenthuman tribes from their language –some tribes are more dangerous thanothers for elephants.

Poaching crisisIn 1989 Kenya lit a pyre of ivoryrepresenting thousands of elephantskilled by poachers. This led to a globalagreement to ban the ivory trade.However, the last five years have seena massive resurgence in poachingacross Africa, reaching a ten-year highin 2013, when more than 35,000elephants were illegally killed for theirtusks. Today, Kenya is the leadingtransit country for ivory out of Africa.

Paula’s ambitious project aims to:n Use the media to drive behaviourchange, empowering communities torespond through a new anonymouswildlife crime hotline. n Oversee adoption of new legislationand enforcement, including the trainingof investigators and prosecutors totackle poaching and illegal trade.n Reduce demand for ivory throughinternational diplomatic relationsdriven by meetings, presentations,media and corporate partnerships.

Why it matters:n Nearly 100 elephants are killed each day in Africa.n Elephant tourism contributes to12% of Kenya’s GDP and over300,000 jobs.n Poaching threatens the economy,security and stability of Kenya.

“People across Kenya arenow seeing that protecting

wildlife is their duty.”

www.w

ildlifed

irect.org

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WHITLEY GOLD AWARD WINNER 2014

Jean WienerConserving Haiti’s coastalecosystems and securing its firstmarine protected areas

Haiti

“People who previously did not have the supportthey needed to voice their opinions have nowbecome more vocal. This is a GREAT thing!”

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rgA Whitley Award winner in 2008 and a 2010 Continuation Fundingrecipient, with the support of WFNand other funders, Jean has:n Provided data to support the creationof Haiti’s first two Marine ProtectedAreas (MPAs) in 2013, covering over 2,100km2.n Engaged the government to passenvironmental legislation to protect all of Haiti’s mangroves, providingblanket coverage along 1,700km of coastline. n Worked with local people to reuseover 100,000 plastic containerscollected as marine debris and recyclethem as mangrove plant pots inreforestation activities.n Initiated new sustainable livelihoodactivities helping to reduce mangrovecutting by 58% between 2008 and 2010.

Humanitarian andenvironmental challenges Haiti is the poorest nation in thewestern hemisphere with 80% ofHaitians living in poverty. Just 1% ofHaiti’s original forest cover remainsand, without the development ofsustainable income generatingalternatives, damaging activities suchas over fishing, mangrove loss and thedevelopment of salt pans will continueto threaten biodiversity in Haiti’s fragilecoastal and marine ecosystems.

From grassroots togovernment For over 20 years, local Haitian, JeanWiener, has worked tirelessly toaddress the severe environmentalissues affecting his country. With hisNGO, FoProBim, Jean focuses onaddressing the needs of localcommunities through education,conflict resolution, and livelihooddevelopment. Jean also engages theHaitian government to achieveimportant environmental monitoring,management, and protection.

Building on his successJean’s actions will now help Haiti toparticipate in regional and globalinitiatives, literally putting Haiti on themap as a country now committed toprotecting and managing its coastaland marine resources. With his GoldAward funding, Jean aims to providemore local communities with themeans to earn sustainable livelihoodsand manage protected coastalresources, whilst continuing to workwith stakeholders and officials toestablish two additional MPAs,totalling 1,600 km2. Jean will alsoadvance plans for a bi-national MPAwith neighbouring DominicanRepublic, covering over 1,700 km2.This would be the first bi-nationalMPA in the Caribbean.

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Winner AchievementsWe maintain close contact with our winners, who share news of theirprogress through formal reports and regular updates. Below are just some of their fantastic achievements over the past year.

In March 2013 a binding internationalagreement was signed restrictingtrade in endangered hammerheadshark products, including fins, throughthe Convention on International Tradein Endangered Species.Randall Arauz, 2004, Costa Rica

Following the first translocation ofcrowned sifaka lemurs in north westMadagascar, a relocated male bredwith a resident female in May 2013,indicating that the intervention wassuccessful. Without this work, highly fragmented sifaka populationswould be at greater risk of extinction.Josia Razafindramanana, 2012,Madagascar

Following the sharing of data fromscientific surveys with government,permits have been revoked for the establishment of oil palmplantations in wetlands borderingrivers where endangered freshwaterIrrawaddy dolphins occur in Loa Kang, Kalimantan.Budiono, 2012, Indonesia

The first environmental educationprogramme to be certified inGuatemala has been endorsed bygovernment for a further five years.10,853 children in 56 schools havebeen reached by the programme todate, increasing knowledge of theenvironment and sustainable resourceuse by 78%, creating a newgeneration of environmentallyconscious citizens.Marleny Rosales-Meda, 2008,Guatemala

Highly toxic and environmentallydamaging placer gold mining hasbeen banned in North East China,protecting wetlands and theirbiodiversity, as well as the peoplewho rely on the clean water they provide. Guo Yu Min, 2007, China

10% of Belize’s population have beenincluded in the country’s first outreachprogrammes promoting sharkconservation. The first nationwidepublic perception survey of sharksand rays in Belize was completed inJanuary 2013, finding over 80% ofpeople believed sharks should beprotected.Rachel Graham, 2011, Belize

In December 2013 permits to collectnight monkeys for biomedicalresearch were permanently revokedby the State Council of Colombia toprotect these nocturnal monkeysfrom unnecessary and unsustainablebio-medical testing following a successful lawsuit against a major laboratory.Angela Maldonado, 2010, Colombia

A 906 km2 Protected Area wasestablished in June 2013 to join uptwo existing reserves in KarnatakaState, South West India, connectingvital habitat for tigers, elephants andother endangered species andbringing the total combined areaunder protection to 2,602 km2.M.D. Madhusudan, 2009, India

An international strategy for CentralAmerica’s bats has been developed to coordinate research andconservation across Guatemala,Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, andCosta Rica. This is the first time aninternational conservation strategyhas been developed for an entiremammalian order.Bernal Rodriguez, 2012, Costa Rica

Since 2000 poaching of Yellow-shouldered parrots has decreasedfrom nearly 100% to less than 5%and the number of parrots hasincreased from 700 in 1989 to 1,600 today. In 2013 a record 77 parrot chicks fledged followinglong-term work to protect them onMargarita Island.Jon Paul Rodriguez, 2003,Venezuela

“Whitley Award winners are successful because theydon’t just watch and measure – they act! They arethe experts – not us – they know what to do and,more importantly, how to get it done.” WFN Trustee, Sir David Attenborough

Continuation Funding 2013

Luis Aguirre, Bolivia (2007)Launching the Bat Conservation Strategy for South America£35,000

Deepak Apte, India (2008)Creating a national giant clam species recovery plan and securing new marine conservation reserves in theAndaman and Nicobar Islands£70,000

Randall Arauz, Costa Rica (2004)Consolidating a favourable domestic and regional politicalagenda for marine conservation in Costa Rica£70,000

Sergei Bereznuk, Russia (2006)Incorporating new technologies in the fight against Amur tiger and leopard poaching£35,000

Elena Bykova, Uzbekistan (2011)Strengthening legal and on-the-ground protection of thecritically endangered saiga antelope£70,000

Gerardo Ceballos, Mexico (2006)Sustainable agriculture and the large scale restoration andconservation of the prairie dog grasslands in the JanosBiosphere Reserve £70,000

Didiher Chacon, Costa Rica (2005)Conserving endangered sea turtles in the Eastern Tropical Pacific£20,000 (2013 WWF Challenge Grant)

Pruthu Fernando, Sri Lanka (2009)Regional scale up of an effective human-elephant conflict mitigation strategy£46,692

Jimmy Muheebwa, Uganda (2010)Community-based action to tackle the illegal crane tradeand loss of wetland habitat£35,000

Hotlin Ompusunggu, Indonesia (2011)Bringing conservation home to local communities: Forest guardians to protect a national park, Borneo£35,000

Luis Rivera, Argentina (2011)Uniting communal and private land-owners to conservepriority areas for threatened parrots of the Southern Yungas£70,000

Jon Paul Rodriguez, Venezuela (2003)Improving parrot habitat and protection on Margarita Island£35,000

Fernando Trujillo, Colombia (2007)Uniting scientific research and government policy to secure South America’s river dolphins£35,000

Winners of the WhitleyAward can apply to usfor further funding ofeither £35,000 overone year or up to£70,000 over twoyears to support thescale up of theirsuccessful work.

Continuation Funding is applied forcompetitively and fundsare awarded to thestrongest applicants ateach round. Over halfof all Whitley Awardwinners go on to applyfor these grants, withseveral receiving fundingmultiple times.

18(Year of first award) *May 2013-May 2014

In the past year, WFN has awarded£626,692 in Continuation Funding to13 winners in 12 countries*

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“The fact that we cancome back to WFNand present our ideasas they evolve andcontinue to receivesupport makes a big difference.”

2003 Whitley Award winner, Jon Paul Rodriguez

Elena Bykova, Uzbekistan

Deepak Apte, India

Randall Arauz, Costa Rica

Gerardo Ceballos, Mexico

Luis Rivera, Argentina

Sergei Bereznuk, Russia

Jon Paul Rodriguez, Venezuela

Jimmy Muheebwa, Uganda

Pruthu Fernando, Sri Lanka

“One thing that puts the WFN apart from otherfunders I have worked with is that they don’t just ‘plantthe seed’, they water it, they fertilize it, and they helpthe sprout to grow. Most funders don’t do that.”2004 Whitley Gold Award winner, Randall Arauz

Luis Aguirre, Bolivia

20

PartnershipFunding by FondationSegré

In 2013, 2005 Whitley GoldAward winner, Charu playeda key role in bringingtogether the governmentsof all 12 snow leopardrange countries for aninternational summit inKyrgyzstan. The summitresulted in landmarkcommitments to protectthese iconic cats, whilstacknowledging communityinvolvement as a keyprinciple for the future ofsnow leopards.Fewer than 7,000 snow

leopards remain in the wilddue to loss of habitat andwild prey, human-wildlifeconflict and poaching. Alack of funding, political andindustrial awareness andscientific information hinderconservation efforts.

Over the next three years Charu’s project will:n Secure three globallyimportant snow leopardlandscapes of 5,000 to10,000 km2 and increasethe number of communitiesinvolved in conservationpartnerships by 20%.n Initiate a programme forproducing snow leopardfriendly cashmere thatbrings together the industry and cashmereproducing herders.n Reduce poaching ofsnow leopards and preythrough new initiativesinvolving enhanced trainingand support for rangers.

With the Global PenguinSociety, 2010 Whitleyaward winner, Pabloestablished the world’s firstinternational coalition forthe protection of penguins.By uniting scientists,conservationists anddecision makers across the Southern Hemisphere,Pablo is giving penguins a voice.Over half of the 18

species of penguin arelisted as ‘Vulnerable’ or‘Endangered’ by the IUCN.Threatened by poorfisheries management,pollution and climatechange in the oceans,penguins also face pressureon land from coastaldevelopment andintroduced predators.

Over the next three years Pablo’s project will:n Stabilise and recoverpenguin populationsthrough targetedcommunity and science-ledconservation in Chile,Argentina, Galapagos, NewZealand and South Africa,benefitting eight species. n Improve scientificunderstanding of penguinsto provide cutting-edgeinformation to policymakers to help secure newlegal protection andimproved management ofpenguins and their habitat.n Raise awareness ofpenguin conservation at thelocal and international levelthrough targeted educationprogrammes and themainstream media.

Partnership Funding byFondation Segré isan innovative new typeof grant which providesmore funding than everbefore to support thework of our mostsuccessful winners.

Launched in 2014 and endowed byFondation Segré, thesegrants will providefunding totalling €1.5 million overthree years to supportfour high impact projects of globalsignificance.

Charudutt Mishra, Snow Leopard TrustFrom grassroots to global: Realising a conservationvision for snow leopards across their range

Pablo Borboroglu, Global Penguin Society Fostering global penguin conservation

“We envision a world where conservation of snowleopards and their mountain habitats are given a highplace in the global agenda. Partnership Funding byFondation Segré will help us ensure our philosophy ofcommunity-based, science-led conservation is embracedacross Asia.”

“The survival and protection of penguins can only besecured by fostering integrated ocean conservationthrough science, management and community education.This grant will help us to go a long way to achieving this.”

www.fo

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re.org

“Our donorsunderstand that it isn’t

a one off, and thatresults don’t just

happen in a year. It isbuilt into their

assumptions that thiswill be an ongoing

relationship, because that’s what really makes

the difference”. WFN Patron, HRHThe Princess Royal

2007 winner, Fernandopromotes trans-boundaryconservation of freshwaterhabitats and their wildlifeusing river dolphins as aflagship in the Amazon andOrinoco basins, coveringtheir entire range acrossBolivia, Brazil, Colombia,Ecuador, Peru andVenezuela.South America’s three

species of river dolphin face increasing pressure as a result of competitionwith the fishing industryand are even killed for bait.Pollution and habitat lossfrom mining and thedevelopment of hydro-electric are also growingthreats.

Over the next three yearsFernando’s project will: nMake it a requirementthat assessment of potentialimpacts on river dolphins areincorporated in to allplanning proposals forhydro-electric dams toreduce their impact.n Provide scientificevidence to the Colombianand Brazilian governmentsto legally ban theunsustainable mota catfishindustry, developingeconomic alternatives forlocal fishermen, includingtraining them as dolphinwatching guides.n Strengthen technicalcapacity for river dolphinconservation by training atleast 120 researchers to useand communicate scientificdata to initiate dolphinconservation projects.

Fernando Trujillo, Fundación Omacha Strengthening conservation of river dolphins in South America

“Our project will integrate scientific research withgrassroots and political action to ensure the conservationof South America’s river dolphins. Partnership Funding byFondation Segré will allow us to work effectively acrossnational borders, uniting stakeholders at every level.

Double Gold Award winner,Çağan Şekercioğlu is in the top 1% of the world’smost cited conservationscientists and oversees thelargest active conservationproject in Turkey which isprotecting, connecting andrestoring habitat forendangered wildlife andproviding a vital corridorbetween Turkey andneighbouring Georgia.North East Turkey is a

biodiversity hot-spot butreceives little conservationattention. A relentlessconstruction agendathreatens to dismantleenvironmental laws andwipe out wildlifepopulations, puttingTurkey’s biodiversity in crisis.

Over the next three years Çağan’s project will: n Expand monitoring ofwolves, bears and lynx tocarry out the firstassessment of theirpopulation size and habitatuse by tracking movementsusing radio collars, cameratraps and specially trainedscat-detecting dogs.n Use scientific data toinfluence political decisionsregarding Turkey’s wildlifeand advocate for theexpansion of protectedareas and the placing ofroad-crossing structures toreduce road mortality.n Educate local people anddevelop communityconservation initiatives toreduce human-wildlifeconflict and create village-based wildlife tourism.

Çağan Şekercioğlu, KuzeydogaLandscape conservation of large carnivores, Turkey

“Partnership Funding by Fondation Segré will supportlandscape-scale conservation of large carnivores innortheastern Turkey through research, awarenessraising, environmental education and lobbying thegovernment to create new protected areas, includingcompletion of Turkey’s first wildlife corridor”.

The Whitley Award for Conservation in Ape Habitats, donated by the

The William Brake Charitable Trust in memory of William Brake

The LJC Fund in memory of Anthea and Lindsey Turner

Sarah Chenevix-Trench

The Friends and The Scottish Friends of The Whitley Fund for Nature –

Gold Award donor

Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing

The Byford Trust

The Evolution Education Trust

The Schroder FoundationThe Whitley Animal Protection Trust

Whitley Awardee Media Training sponsorship

22

Thank youWe are most gratefulfor the generosity ofall our Award donorsand supporters,including those whochoose to remainanonymous.

Your donations arehelping to fund localleaders working at the frontline ofconservation andmaking it happen. Theyare the action heroesof the conservationworld, and with yoursupport they aremaking a positivedifference to localcommunities, wildlifeand the environmentthey share.

Whitley Award donors Major sponsors

Make adifference Please support us

Since 1994 WFN have given over£10m in funding to direct-action,community-based conservation,in country. To date we haverecognised over 160 effective localleaders in 70 different countriesthrough our Awards programme.But to continue supporting theseamazing conservationists, weneed your help! Donate online atwww.whitleyaward.org or sendthis form with a cheque madepayable to Whitley Fund forNature, to the address overleaf.NAME

ADDRESS

EMAIL

DATE

With Gift Aid we can increase the value of your donation by 25%.

Please treat as Gift Aid donations this donation, alldonations made by me in the past four years andall future donations until further notice. I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Taxand/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all thecharities to which I donate will reclaim on my gifts in that tax year. I understand that other taxessuch as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify and that the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

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If you would prefer not to be named as a donoron the Whitley Fund for Nature website, AwardCeremony programme and other materials,please tick here:

£5,000 and aboveEdward and Sally BenthallBenindi Fund Frank and Evelyn BrakeJohn DaveyVeronique De GiorgiSimon and Liz DingemansThe Britta & Jeremy Lloyd FamilyCharitable Trust Tony and Maureen WheelerHenry and Madeleine Wickham

£1,000 – £5,000Rory and Elizabeth BrooksDavid and Jane ButterJames and Victoria CorcoranCotswold Wildlife Park Simon and Pam CraneKathleen Crook and James PenturnMark and Sarah EvansCatherine and Edward FaulksJan-Peter and Carol OnstwedderG.C. Gibson Charitable Trust Tom and Tammany HeapThe Edward Hoare Charitable Fund Edward and Teleri IliffeMrs M.A. Lascelles Charitable Trust Mark and Sophie LewisohnJeffrey and Nicola Lewis-OakesSimon and Penelope LinnettSebastian LyonMaggie and Bruce MacfarlaneRobert and Ruth MaxtedRonald Miller Foundation Hylton Murray-Philipson

Christopher and Annie NewellAnthony NolanJulia PatonJames PonderThomas and Helena RassmusonIan Richmond and Lida CepuchJean and Melanie SalataGregg Sando and Sarah HavensRichard and Victoria StrangFrancis SullivanChloe TeacherEski ThomasDavid and Marika ThompsonGeorg and Emily von Opel

£500 – £1,000Sam and Rosie BerwickJeremy BradshawRichard BuxtonJames and Veronica CarbonePhilip CayfordGuy and Katie ChristieGus ChristiePaul and Looby CreanVirginia Drabbe-SeamannChristopher Fordham and Sally StoreyVictoria GrayMichael and Maureen HobbsDeborah IliffeBen and Michelle KingsleyIan LazarusPiers LeaLucy NewmarkMerijn SchellekensWilliam Spurgin and Sherry Buchanan

£300 – £500John and Lotta AshdownPeter and Siobhan BaileyTim BestVinayak and Louise BhattacharjeeAlex and Sue BirchJames and Juliet CameronMichael and Lauren ClancyJohn and Felicity FairbairnJeremy and Marinella FranksAlex and Hattie HambroRobin and Fiona HodgsonMark and Susan KalderonWilliam KendallSimon and Gillian KingHumphrey LloydHenry and Sara ManistyDavid and Sarah MelvilleDouglas and Rosalind MilmineBen and Kate MingayJames and Karen MulvilleJill Nicola NichollsPaul and Emma O'HeaBarend and Melissa PenningsKeith and Elizabeth PonderRichard and Anne Marie RevellEdward RoussellPaul and Jill RuddockNeville and Emma Shulman Charles and Carol SkinnerVantage Investment Advisory Ltd John and Ann-Margaret WaltonHenrik and Marika WarebornCharles and Susan Whiddington

Friends’ Donations Our Friends have an annual target of £100,000, and we are delighted that this target has been reached in 2014!The donations we receive from our Friends are the lifeblood of the charity and this year are supporting theWhitley Gold Award, given to Haitian conservationist Jean Wiener.

Thank you to each and every one of you for your support. We are a charity that is completely reliant on donationsso the more money we raise, the more projects we are able to fund and the bigger impact we can have.

Donations received between 19th April 2013 and 23rd April 2014.

Whitley Fund for Nature teamGeorgina DombergerDirectorDavid WallisDeputy DirectorBrian JohnsonFinance ManagerAnnabel LeaManagerDanni Parks ManagerRebecca SennettAdministrator

Whitley Fund for Nature TrusteesSir David AttenboroughTim DyeCatherine FaulksFrancis SullivanEdward Whitley

PatronHRH The Princess Royal

AcknowledgementsShow Producer Mandy Duncan-SmithGraphic DesignDesignRaphael LtdPrintElephant Print LtdPRFirebirdFilmsIcon Films

Whitley Fund for Nature6 Walmer Courtyard

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Company limited by guarantee, No. 3968699, registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Calder & Co., Regent Street, London SW1Y 4NWUK Registered Charity Number 1081455

Image creditsFitry Pakiding film:John Dutton ProductionsMark ErdmannStan Miniasian ‘Last Journey for the Leatherback?’ScubazooMelvin Gumal film:Orangutan FoundationAdrian SeymourShivani Bhalla film:Born Free FoundationMonica Gonzalez film:ARKiveMurray Cooper PhotographyDisney Worldwide Conservation Fund Jordan KarubianRomina Ordonez

2014 Whitley Awards