Our World in a Climate of Change the Nature Conservancy 3 North America
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This lone orangutan on the island of Borneo represents the world’s largest tree-dwelling animal. It shares 97 percent of our DNA. Eighty-five percent of the remaining 61,000 orangutans are facing a crisis in habitat. Industrial timber, mining and the rapidly growing oil palm industry are destroying the orangutan’s forest faster than anywhere else Conserving the lands on earth, and the species’ very existence is at risk. and waters on which The forces that threaten orangutans also threaten people, by degrading fragile lands and waters and all life depends. releasing tons of carbon into an already warming atmosphere. The Nature Conservancy is taking To learn more about action to bring diverse people to the table to forge the Conservancy’s work large-scale solutions in places like Indonesia’s in more than 69 countries East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo (see page 58); it’s what defines us an organization. and all 50 U.S. states, This orangutan is also a symbol of our shared visit nature.org. conservation agenda—to realize a world where people and nature thrive together. ABOUT OUR COVER: The cover image was shot by field biologist and photographer Tim Laman with a remote camera he installed with ropes in the treetop and triggered from the forest floor. A similar image from this shoot won Laman the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award from London’s Natural History Museum. Our World in a Climate FSC FPO of Change 2016 ANNUAL REPORT © 2017 The Nature Conservancy. Printed in Richmond, Virginia, by Worth Higgins & Associates on Forest Stewardship Council®-certified Sappi McCoy Silk 10% post-consumer-waste paper, produced with 100% Green-e®-certified renewable energy. WOCRD1678 87 812-3698 (877) [email protected] nature.org/legacy continue to protect, transform and inspire for generations to come. to generations for inspire and transform protect, to continue to the Conservancy totaled $134 million—a lasting legacy that will will that legacy lasting million—a $134 totaled Conservancy the to support after their lifetimes. In the past year alone, planned gifts gifts planned alone, year past the In lifetimes. their after support they remembered us in their estate plans and ensured continuing continuing ensured and plans estate their in us remembered they and valued The Nature Conservancy’s work during their lives that that lives their during work Conservancy’s Nature The valued and A final offer of gratitude of offer final A goes to those who so cherished nature nature cherished so who those to goes Projects highlighted in this report Countries where we work Developing Solutions on a Global Scale The Nature Conservancy’s mission demands that we work directly or through others in an expanding scope of countries around the world. Countries included in this tally reflect: places in which we have offices and projects on the ground or a legacy of work; places where we achieve conservation through strategic partnerships and where we engage in policy and public funding initiatives in support of our mission; and, places where our Board of Directors has approved the scoping of new work. DIRECT PRESENCE IMPACT THROUGH PARTNERS & POLICY NEW GEOGRAPHIES North America Caribbean Africa Asia Pacific Canada Antigua and Barbuda Guinea India United States Aruba Mauritius Myanmar Cuba Mozambique New Zealand Caribbean Dominica Namibia The Bahamas Haiti South Africa Dominican Republic St. Kitts and Nevis Grenada Saint Lucia Asia Pacific Jamaica St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cambodia Japan Latin America Latin America Laos Argentina Bolivia Malaysia Belize Costa Rica Marshall Islands Brazil El Salvador Singapore Chile Honduras Thailand Colombia Nicaragua Vietnam Ecuador Panama Guatemala Paraguay Mexico Venezuela Peru Europe Europe Belgium Germany Bosnia and Herzegovina United Kingdom Croatia Denmark Africa Finland Gabon France Kenya Italy Seychelles Netherlands Tanzania Norway Zambia Sweden Asia Pacific Australia China Indonesia Micronesia Mongolia Palau Papua New Guinea Solomon Islands In addition to countries, TNC also works in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) within the People's Republic of China As of 01/11/17 | Chief Conservation Office The Nature Conservancy 1 THE YEAR IN REVIEW test was in Quito, Ecuador, in 2000. Since then, other partners to reduce the impact of farming and ranching on Amazon we’ve created 24 water funds in nine countries, forests (see page 21). This pilot effort in the Brazilian state of Pará is a leading mostly in Latin America (see page 22). example of the kind of deforestation-free supply chain that many consumer Building on our success in Latin America, we goods companies have committed to by 2020. Replicated at scale, this work now have scores of additional projects in oper- has the potential to dramatically change the trajectory of deforestation ation or development on four continents. Four and related carbon emissions across the Amazon basin. With decreased funds are now up and running in the United States deforestation, the Amazon’s wildlife and indigenous communities can and the first in Africa—serving 9 million people prosper as well. in Nairobi, Kenya. And guided by our China We think these nature-based solutions will play a pivotal role in meeting Urban Water Blueprint, our team is developing the climate challenge. At the same time, we also continue to push hard for several water funds in China, including one near policy change. In the U.S., each of our 50 state chapters has a clear strategy the metropolis of Hangzhou. to build broad-based support for climate action, including clean-energy This past year we launched another inno- policy. In Florida, for example, we supported a bipartisan ballot measure vation with global promise in the Seychelles, to incentivize private solar installations. Voters passed the measure with a tropical nation of 115 islands in the Indian overwhelming support. And in Ohio, we teamed up with the Environmental Ocean (see page 44). Like many island nations, Defense Fund to make the economic case for increasing renewable energy. the Seychelles is grappling with sea-level rise In a big win for clean-energy jobs, Gov. John R. Kasich vetoed legislation and heightened storms brought on by climate that would have discouraged energy investments in the state. change. In response, the country is now investing We’ve still got a long way to go, but I’m proud of how we are drawing on a portion of its foreign debt into marine conser- one of our biggest strengths—bringing diverse groups together—to find vation and climate adaptation projects, such as practical, common-ground solutions to the climate challenge. reef and mangrove restoration. And finally, this past year we also continued to apply TNC’s oldest TNC used our science, legal and financial strategy—land acquisition—to show that conservation and development expertise to make this pioneering effort possible. can go hand in hand. Our purchase of Fortin Chacabuco in Argentina to use NatureVest, TNC’s impact investing division, as a demonstration ranch will not only protect important habitat but also brought together loans and grants to augment inform sustainable grazing management across the expansive grasslands the Seychelles’ debt restructuring. This model of Patagonia (see page 22). will now serve other island nations around the These and the other achievements that follow in this report are just a world, offering people both a resilient natural sampling of what TNC has done in the past year to demonstrate positive environment and an improved economic future. change in a world where change too often connotes decline and despair. The past year also saw milestones in our The hopeful change our achievements inspire is a result of the collaboration A growing population that requires more food, water and energy is stressing Volunteers of the efforts to promote change within the agricul- of scientists, donors, volunteers and partners. We thank all of you sincerely. “We live in the very land, rivers and oceans that sustain us. A shifting global economy Buhingu Village tural sector. From the American heartland to the What we all have in common is a deep and shared sense of compassion. Beach Manage- is moving production to far-flung corners of the world with unforeseen ment Unit, Sadoki Amazon basin, we’re bringing together farmers, We care about other people far and near. We care about all the world’s species. a rapidly environmental impact. And a changing climate is threatening to undo much Nfukamo (left) academics, governments and businesses in the We care about future generations and the future of the earth. Together we of the work The Nature Conservancy has accomplished over 65 years. and James Anton agriculture and food industries. Together, we’re can be the change we need to ensure a better world for all.” (center), work changing But change is not a one-way street. We can change the ways we grow our closely with TNC promoting large-scale, science-based prac- food to be more productive on less land. We can ensure water security by fisheries lead, tices that safeguard our waters and lands while world. changing how water users invest in watershed conservation. We can tap Peter Limbu, to empowering growers to meet the rising demand record data toward new technologies to change how we manage our fisheries. And we can plant establishing sus- for food, fuel and fiber. more trees to meet growing demand for timber while changing the trajectory tainable fisheries And there’s another important benefit of this of climate change. We can make these changes while still remaining true to practices as part work: These practices, done right across a large of the Tuugane our commitment to care for nature and biodiversity. project in Tanzania.