Annual Report 2010 EogAssociationForConservationEvolvesInto European Outdoor Conservation Association Annual Report 2010
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ANNUAL REPORT 2010 www.outdoorconservation.eu EOGASSOCIATIONFORCONSERVATIONEVOLVESINTO EUROPEAN OUTDOOR CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION ANNUAL REPORT 2010 Setupin2006bytheEuropeanOutdoorGroup,theEuropeanOutdoor ConservationAssociation(formerlytheEOGAssociationforConservation)isan organisationdesignedtobringtogethertheEuropeanoutdoorindustrytowork foracommoncause-thepreservationandconservationofthewild landscapesandincredibleenvironmentsthatwearepartofandfromwhich wemakeourliving. Withavisionofconservingthesewildplacesandecosystemsforfuture generations,theAssociationisfundedbymembershipandfundraising activitieswithintheoutdoorindustry,100%ofwhichgoesintothesupportof vitalgrassrootsprojects. President’s Comments Dear Friends As the curtain falls on another year, I look back with great pleasure at the successes and growth the Association has achieved during 2010. After just four years, the momentum and recognition within the industry is increasing. The interest and excitement of our members is also growing as they realise what we can achieve together. As the industry making our living from the environment, we need to send out a strong message to outdoor users everywhere that we care, and we are working to make a difference. As the only organisation within the outdoor industry dedicated to looking after these wild landscapes, we need to take care that they are still there in years to come. Every new member that joins and every extra Euro raised by initiatives undertaken by the Association and its members, serves to increase the funding we have and the number of projects we can support. The continued growth and support for the Association is vital to the outdoor sector, and I, for one, am proud to be a part of it. HolgerBismann,President “Cascade Designs is delighted to be a founding member of the European Outdoor Conservation Association. We hugely value the broad remit to preserve and restore wild places for the betterment of the planet and humanity. In addition we find the 100% application of donations to projects to be refreshingly compelling along with the transparent and efficient project selection process.” www.outdoorconservation.eu JoeMcSwiney,PresidentCascadeDesigns Manager’s Report Change was obviously on the horizon! As I write this, following the first quarter of 2011, I am looking back on a year of enormous change - both worldwide, and within the Association. 2010 was a year when the recession really began to bite, costs had to be cut and great care taken over budgets and forecasting. However, the Association continued to grow and take shape and the support and encouragement from the outdoor industry has not wavered. 2010 saw a record-breaking fundraiser at Outdoor. Over €20,000 was raised from this one show alone, thanks to the absolute generosity of our members who gave product, advertising space, threw a party and sold items on their own stands in aid of conservation. One of the projects funded this year was chosen by the general public in the UK. A record breaker in the making there as well - over 19,000 members of the general public went online to vote for their favourite conservation project. The eventual winner absolutely stole the show with massive support - in the form of 11,000 votes! The Association continues to grow and adapt, both within the industry and outside it. Recognition is growing. Non members are aware of us. Conservation bodies have heard of us. The general public have an inkling there is something going on in the outdoor industry they ought to be aware of. All good things as more and more people wake up to the fact that if we do not look after our wild places, they won’t be there for much longer. And the outdoor industry is taking the initiative, looking to the future. We gained and retained new and existing members. Ten new members joined the Association, including those from Hong Kong, Israel and Belgium. New Members 2010 There were over 60 applications for funding, from which we supported 5, bringing the total from the start of the Association in 2006, to €640,000. TheAssociationisdelightedto welcometennewmembersthis As the days of 2010 drew to a close, there was a final piece of news. year: Following agreement at the Annual Assembly to change the Association’s Outpac Designs Ltd (Pacsafe) name from EOG Association for Conservation to European Outdoor Conservation Association, confirmation came through that the name had Source Vagabond been accepted and legally changed and we were able to start a brand Normark Scandinavia AB new year with a brand new name and identity! Salt Magazine Ferrino Transa Backpacking AG Canada Goose Europe AB Contigo – Kambukka Eso Es Konzepte Smartwool TanyaBascombe,GeneralManager “I was really impressed with what you do and how you use the members of the Association to support great projects. In fact, I was so impressed that if you ever need any help with the Association, I’d be seriously interested in lending a hand.” NatalieClark,WorldPheasantAssociation www.outdoorconservation.eu Grant Award 2010 World Pheasant Association School Extensions in return for Forest Protection - Nepal NominatedbyBerghaus PiparisarhododendronforestintheAnnapurnaConservationareaandhometo5 outof6ofNepal’sHimalayanpheasantspecies.Since1983,theWPAhasworked closelywiththevillageofKaruwa,helpingtoresourceteachingfacilities,staffand equipmentinreturnforthevillagers’usingtheforestonlyastheyhavealwaysdone,for theirownneeds,andnotforcommercialgain.Thepheasantpopulationhassince remainedstable.Thisisanovelwayofsupportingeducationalneedsforthelocals whilst at the same time promoting the conservation of an important area for biodiversity.Thisprojectwillbuildextensionsto2localschoolsandmonitorbiodiversity inPiparandadjacentforests. World Land Trust Elephant Corridors - India NominatedbyNikwax Thereare88corridorsthroughoutIndiathatarecriticaltothelongtermsurvivalofthe AsianElephant.Theseareunprotectedlandsbetweenfragmentsofprotectedareas andincreasinglyhumandominated,resultinginhighlevelsofhuman-wildlifeconflict (lossofcrops,buildingsandevenlife).Securingcorridorsinvolvessensitisinglocal communitiestotheoptionofvoluntarilyrelocatingoutsidetheconflictzonestosafer areas,withtheirownlandandimprovedhousing.Italsoleavesareastoregenerate naturally,andprovidescontinuedrefugeforahugevarietyofwildlife.Thisprojectwill prioritise seven corridors in Corbett National Park and introduce the concept of establishingelephantcorridorstolocalcommunitiesandkeyconservationists.An individualdonorhascommittedtomatchfundsraised,thusdoublingtheAssociation’s grantawardto€60,000. Global Nature Fund Mangrove Swamp Restoration - Sri Lanka NominatedbyMesseFriedrichshafen Mangroveforestsareuniquehabitatsfoundinbrackishestuariesandcoastalareas, theirhabitatsharedbyvastnumbersofsaltandfreshwatercreaturesaswellassea andlandorganisms,withextensiverootsystemsprotectingagainsttidalwavesand erosion.Overthepast100years,about50%oftheworld’smangroveforestshave beenirrecoverablylost.TheMadampaLakeWildlifeSanctuaryisfacingthreatsdueto uncontrolledactivitiessuchaslandreclamation,dumpingofhousehold/industrial wasteandloggingofmangrovetreesfortimber/firewood.Theaimistoincreaselocal understanding of the importance of mangrove ecosystems through long term education,communitymangroveconservationprogrammesandplantingover10,000 seedlingstoreforest6acresofadestroyedmangrovearea. “We highly appreciate the announced support of our activities related to the protection and restoration of mangrove ecosystems in Sri Lanka. Thank you for your confidence in our work. This is a very valuable contribution that will enable us to continue with the highly innovative and transferable activities in Sri Lanka. ” UdoGattenlöhner,GlobalNatureFund www.outdoorconservation.eu Breathe Foundation Rainforest Restoration - Brazil NominatedbyMesseMünchen TheAtlanticRainforestinBrazilislessthan7%ofitsoriginalsizeandhasbeenidentified byUNESCOasoneofthefivehighestbiodiversityhotspotsintheworld.Farming,illegal loggingandpoachingispushingthisareatowardsecologicalcollapse.Themainfocus hereisguardianship,reforestationandeducation.The10yeargoalistoreclaim 700,000m 2 offorest,creatinganintactecologicalcorridorwhichwillthenbeprotected viaBrazilianEnvironmentallaw.Themainaimsarebuildinganeducation, managementandmeetingcentreadjacenttotheforest,acquiringofidentifiedpriority landpositionstocreateecologicalbridgesandfarmerallotmentallocation,planting theinitialareawithseedlings,andidentifyingthenextprioritylandpurchase. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust Pembrokeshire Bumblebee Path Project - United Kingdom ChosenbyreadersofTrailMagazine TheUK’sbumblebeeshavesufferedhugedeclinesduetowidespreadhabitatloss. Bumblebeesaremajorpollinatorsofamajorityofwildflowersandmanyagricultural crops.Iftheycontinuetodisappear,theseplantswillsetlessseed,resultinginsweeping changestothecountrysidewithcatastrophicknock-oneffectsforotherwildlife.The trustaimstoconservethembyreturningwildflowerstothecountryside,strivingtoraise awareness,protectimportantbumblebeesitesandengagewithlandownerstocreate flower-richhabitats.Thisprojectwillcreatewildflower-richhabitattosupportrare bumblebeesalonganew10kmsectionofpathinthePembrokeshireNationalPark. Byconnectingkeysites,thisattractiveroutethroughspectacularscenerywillhelp preventthenationalextinctionoftheshrillcarderbee. Other Activities Public Votes for Conservation Asatrialfor2010,theAssociationdecidedtotakethevotingforoneofitsprojectsto thegeneralpublicthisyear.6projectswerepresentedonthewebsiteofTrailMagazine (thelargestoutdoormagazineintheUK)andvisitorstothewebsiteweregiventhe