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Conservation Report 2019

Fauna & Flora International is dedicated to protecting our planet’s threatened wildlife and habitats.

Delacour’s langur, Vietnam. Credit: Nguyen Van Truong

From the Chief Executive 5

Highlights of 2019 6

Our Ambitions 7

How we work 8

Assessing the impact of our work 10

Ambition 1: Thriving species 12

Ambition 2: Resilient ecosystems 16

Ambition 3: Locally led conservation 24

Ambition 4: Influencing others 30

Ambition 5: Increasing visibility 38

Ambition 6: Investing in our people 39

Ambition 7: Securing the resources we need 40

Research and dissemination 41

Lessons learned and looking forward 42

Annex 1. FFI’s priority species 2019 46

Annex 2. Quotes from project reports 48

Contents

Credit: Backlit leaves in Pico Bonito National Park, Honduras. Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI

Cover image: Herd of African elephants at a watering hole, South Africa. Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI

From the Chief ExecutiveThis 2019 Conservation Report relates to a period before the world went into lockdown, but as I write these words the global pandemic is having a range of impacts on our staff and programme activities. For an international organisation with hundreds of partners and staff spread across more than 40 countries, that is inevitable. However, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has a track record of operating under challenging circumstances stretching back well over a century. Resilience is part of our DNA, and it keeps us moving forward.

That long-term commitment is evident in the pages of this report, which shed light on our collective achievements in 2019 and illustrate the kind of demonstrable and lasting impact envisioned in FFI’s latest five-year strategy.

Surveys conducted in 2019 indicate that our conservation measures have led to several of Vietnam’s most critically endangered primates, including the Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, taking a small but significant step back from the brink.

Focusing on Kazakhstan’s smallest, remotest and most threatened saiga antelope population – previously written off by others as unviable – FFI support for a crackdown on poaching and illegal trade has seen number more than double in just two years.

Mozambique’s vast Niassa National Reserve went for an entire year without losing a single elephant to poaching, the result of our swift intervention to address the crisis, coupled with high-level government support and the strengthening of anti-poaching activities.

Spearheading action on plastics, we co-authored a seminal report that, for the first time, quantified the impact of plastic pollution and laid bare the threat it poses to marine, human and planetary health, including its contribution to the climate crisis. Its publication generated considerable media interest and created a platform to engage with both corporations and the UK government.

The World Bank commissioned FFI to conduct over 50 studies of large-scale and artisanal mining practices within forest landscapes across more than a dozen countries. Unsurprisingly, the reports summarising the results painted a sobering picture, but they also laid out some minimum standards that companies need to adopt in embracing smarter ways of mining within fragile forests.

At the end of 2019 we received news that exemplifies what sustainable and tangible success looks like for us: the mountain gorilla population has grown to 1,063, a fitting reward for several decades of collaborative effort on the part of FFI and our partners, although we are acutely aware that the impact of the pandemic on gorilla tourism revenue now poses a new threat.

As we respond to the evolving global situation, the well-being of our supporters, staff and the wider community is at the forefront of our minds. But we are already working closely with our teams and partners around the world to monitor the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on conservation as a whole, and on our work specifically. I would like to extend my thanks to all of our staff, partners, donors and supporters for everything they are doing to help us adapt to the global emergency.

The inherent uncertainty in our current predicament can breed a sense of anxiety and even hopelessness, but it also invites us to reassess our priorities; governments, businesses and individuals are already starting to rethink how we should interact with our planet. These unprecedented times present us with an unprecedented opportunity, and we intend to grasp it with both hands.

Mark Rose

C O N S E R VAT I O N R E P O R T 2 0 1 9

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Fern in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda. Credit: Juan Pablo M

oreiras/FFI

Highlights of 2019

We influenced1 the conservation of

47,882,441 haof crucial habitat

(that’s larger than Cameroon)

We protected habitat at

282 sites in

45 countries

We worked with

91 priority speciesand at least 161 further species demonstrably

benefited from our work

Habitats worked in include We engaged with

FREShwATER

MOuNTAINSMARINE GRASSlANdS

lIMESTONE CAVES

dESERTS & dRylANdS

wIldFlOwER MEAdOwS

FORESTS

AGRICulTuRAl lANdSCAPES

43projects

helped to address the illegal trade in

wildlife

426The number of organisations we

partnered with, including:Local NGOs, governments, universities & businesses

247Organisations whose skills, knowledge and resources

we helped develop

25The number of laws, regulations and strategic government plans

we helped develop

Over

4,100The number of people whose

conservation capacity we built

We saw conservation benefits for

Business Communities* Relevant field-based projects

Policymakers

60projects

97%*

of projects65

projects


51. We work to influence conservation at different levels; this includes directly supporting on-the-ground conservation, influencing conservation delivery across wider target landscapes and supporting key partners to deliver conservation across their own priority areas.

92 sites priority speciespopulations75


6 7

Vision

Mission

A sustainable future for the planet, where biodiversity is effectively conserved by the people who live closest to it, supported by the global community.

To conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide.

Fish shoal. Credit: John McIntyre

Our Ambitions


7

In order to achieve our vision and mission, FFI focuses on a core set of seven ambitions as set out in our new five-year strategy which started in 2019. Conservation is a complex discipline and we recognise that to achieve our conservation goals we need to make progress in each of these intertwined and mutually supportive areas of work:

Conserving threatened habitats and species:

1 A m B i T i O n O n e : T h r i v i n g s P e C i e s

2 A m B i T i O n T W O : r e s i l i e n T e C O s y s T e m s

empowering organisations and individuals to lead innovative conservation action:

3 A m B i T i O n T h r e e : l O C A l ly l e d C O n s e r vAT i O n

shaping decisions within society to benefit biodiversity:

4 A m B i T i O n f O u r : i n f l u e n C i n g O T h e r s

investing in ffi’s effectiveness:

5 A m B i T i O n f i v e : i n C r e A s i n g v i s i B i l i T y

6 A m B i T i O n s i x : i n v e s T i n g i n O u r P e O P l e

7 A m B i T i O n s e v e n : s e C u r i n g T h e r e s O u r C e s W e n e e d

2. A project is defined as a set of activities leading towards a meaningful conservation outcome. A project may encompass multiple sites and/or species and employ multiple conservation approaches.

This report seeks to demonstrate how effective FFI has been in its conservation activities and how this is contributing to these ambitions, based on information collected from our portfolio of 129 projects2 that were active in 2019.

The primary focus of this report is Ambitions 1 to 4, those specifically centred around conservation success on the ground. Highlights of FFI’s progress against Ambitions 5, 6 and 7, which focus on FFI’s internal efforts to ensure conservation delivery, are also provided.

further information on how we go about understanding progress towards our ambitions is provided on page 10.

Crested forest lizard. Gurveena Ghataure/FFI

How we work


98

Our projects range from working on the ground in key geographical locations, to thematic initiatives where expertise can be applied across our organisation, as well as efforts to influence the wider contexts in which conservation is carried out. Across all our 129 projects we adhere to a set of core principles:

Cambodian M

Sc Programm

e. Credit: Stuart Sherriff/FFI

w E w O R k I N P A R T N E R S h I P

We work with partners that range from local community organisations and NGOs to small-scale enterprises, larger businesses and government agencies. We support our partner organisations in building locally owned and sustainable conservation programmes. We believe this approach is more likely to result in appropriate solutions, elicit local support and ensure long-term effectiveness.

In 2019, we collaborated3 with 701 organisations. We jointly ran projects with, or provided significant assistance to, 426 of these.

NATIONAl NGOS ANd CBOS (170)

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (117)

ACAdEMIC INSTITuTIONS (39)

BuSINESSES (38)

INTERNATIONAl NGOS (33)

OThER (29)

Our primary

partners4 in 2019

3. These are organisations we worked alongside to achieve a mutual goal, but did not run projects jointly with, or provide significant assistance to.4. Our ‘primary partners’ are those we jointly run projects with or provide significant assistance to.


9

Credit: Xxx

e n h A n C i n g h u m A n W e l l - B e i n g

Our conservation solutions seek to enhance human well-being. We respect and promote human rights and cultural values, as well as supporting governance systems that benefit both people and biodiversity. We see conservation as a social process, with people at its heart, and we actively engage with local communities (including indigenous peoples), empowering those who live closest to threatened species and habitats.

By working with communities to develop sustainable livelihoods and appropriate governance mechanisms alongside practical solutions to conservation problems, we help to ensure local support for – and ownership of – conservation activities, thereby increasing the probability of long-term success.

In 2019, 97% of relevant field projects included engagement with communities to strengthen natural resource governance and support sustainable livelihoods strategies in order to achieve positive outcomes for both biodiversity and human well-being.

R O B u S T S C I E N C E

Our conservation practices are rooted in robust science. We aim to ensure that project decisions are underpinned by the best possible information, including up-to-date research – whether generated by ourselves or others – and to monitor our impact rigorously, sharing what FFI and our partners have learned, in order to improve practice and help steer future research agendas.

In 2019, over 400 surveys, monitoring programmes or other studies were carried out across 91 different projects.FFI’s team

activating a satellite transmitter in Estero Padre Ram

os Credit: Alam Ram

írez/FFI

Plastic nurdles. Credit: Tanya Cox/FFI


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G R E A T E R I M P A C T

means achieving more, both by ourselves and through others.

We strive for bigger and better results because conservation impact worldwide is not yet sufficient to stem loss of species and ecosystems caused by human activities.

d E M O N S T R A B l E I M P A C T

means being able to show that we are having a positive impact, that results are being achieved, and that progress towards conservation goals is being made.

l A S T I N G I M P A C T

means delivering results that will persist over the longer term. This requires us to have considered likely future shocks and trends that might affect our work (such as those brought on by climate change) and to have identified ways to limit their effects or ensure adaptability to change.

It also requires local ownership and partners that can operate independently of FFI into the future. It requires sustained and sustainable financing through enterprise and other means.

At the heart of FFI’s strategy is the desire to achieve greater, demonstrable and lasting impact in relation to the conservation of species and ecosystems and the people and organisations we support and influence.

Assessing the impact of our work


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This report provides a snapshot of FFI’s portfolio of work during 2019, specifically demonstrating how our work is progressing towards the fulfilment of each of our ambitions. The information within this report comprises data collected from 128 of our 129 projects5 that were active in 2019 and shows key activities and impacts as well as providing insights into specific aspects of our work.

No two projects are alike; each of our projects presents us with a particular set of circumstances, focuses on a specific habitat or species, and poses a unique set of challenges. Success is, therefore, defined at an individual project level to account for these differences. In order to understand what stage of its journey to success each of our projects has reached, we use ‘impact chains’ to track progress towards long-term biodiversity goals.

An impact chain describes the path of change through which we would expect to see a project progress on the way to achieving its long-term conservation objectives. There is good evidence that achievement of changes in the early steps in the chain predicts future conservation impact. At portfolio level our approach is to use evidence of project outcomes to give an annual snapshot6 of where our current projects are on their journey towards their ultimate conservation goals.

In the impact chains presented throughout this report, the sites, species or projects represented are only counted once and assigned the highest level of outcome or impact reported by the end of 2019.

Underpinning this approach, each FFI project aims to have a well-developed design logic that articulates how activities are intended to drive change within its own particular set of circumstances. Work is ongoing at an organisational level to ensure these models of change are as robust as they can be. These models are used to support each project’s work to monitor its progress towards its ultimate impact.

For further information on how FFI works to understand the impact of our work, please refer to the document Understanding Conservation Success, available on our website.

5. A project is defined as a set of activities leading towards a meaningful conservation outcome. A project may encompass multiple sites and/or species and employ multiple conservation approaches.

6. We are designing ways to enable better year-to-year comparison of data in future years.

Watts’ anole, Bird Island, Antigua. Credit: Jerem

y Holden


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A m B i T i O n 1 : T h r i v i n g s P e C i e s

Securing threatened species populations

Pangolin, Liberia. Credit: J Desmond

FFI has well over a century of experience in safeguarding threatened species, with a demonstrable track record of success in halting and/or reversing their decline. Our approaches vary from species to species: for some, we work to protect the wild places in which they are found; for others, we recognise that interventions need to go beyond merely protecting their habitat in order to enable them to thrive.

In 2019, 55 of our projects had a specific focus on species, working to conserve 91 priority species of fauna and flora (see Annex 1 for a full list). A further 161 species were also the subject of targeted interventions or were beneficiaries of our conservation work7.

Among our targeted conservation actions:

• Over one million tree seedlings were grown or planted, over 11,000 of which were from threatened species. Over 1,100 plants of other species were also planted.

• Over 44,000 turtle hatchlings were protected and released.

• Action plans were produced for 23 species.

• We worked to conserve species within six categories: Mammals, Birds, Invertebrates, Fish, Reptiles, Plants.

7. A definition of priority species and secondary species is provided in Annex 1.


1 3

How successful we have beenThese impact chains show the progress towards recovery of FFI’s 91 priority species (top) in 97 target populations, and the progress of a further 161 secondary species (bottom) across 209 target populations. Six priority species populations and 62 secondary species populations are not included on the chain as there was insufficient information available about impact for these populations this year.

A snapshot of our workThese quotes, taken from project reports, provide an insight into some of the stories behind these numbers – for more, turn to Annex 2.

Protecting Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s rhinos“In 1993 Ol Pejeta Conservancy was home to just 20 black rhinos; by the close of 2019 the population numbered 131, as well as 35 southern white rhinos and two northern white females. A total of 21 rhinos were born during 2019; 17 of these were black rhino births, the highest ever recorded number of births within a single year in Ol Pejeta’s black rhino history, translating to an 8% rise in the population at the conservancy. This gain is attributable to staff motivation and capacity enhancement, the active management of the population and its habitat and effective patrolling and surveillance by Ol Pejeta’s rangers.”

saving redonda’s critically endangered reptiles“It is now two years since the removal of rats and goats from the island of Redonda and we have seen an 8.4-fold increase in the density of critically endangered Redonda ground lizards (Pholidoscelis atratus/below) from 110 per hectare in March 2017 to 940 per hectare by March 2019, and a 3.2-fold increase in the density of critically endangered Redonda tree lizards (Anolis nubilus) from 800 per hectare in 2017 to 2,500 per hectare by March 2019.”

ensuring the survival of critically endangered magnolias in vietnam“During 2019 the project was successful in cultivating a sense of local stewardship of the forest. The wild population of magnolia in Tung Vai forest was well protected through patrols and monitoring and none of the 200 magnolia mother trees were reported lost this year. In addition 1,400 magnolia trees planted in Tung Vai forest are growing well and 91% of Magnolia grandis seedlings survived their second year since planting. Twelve contracts with locals have been signed to maintain seedlings that have been planted out and to monitor mother trees. Many farmers now recognise the value of the forest and have agreed to transition to sustainable cardamom cultivation and are requesting magnolias to plant on their land.”

Species showing

evidence of recovery

Species population

still in decline

N u M B E R O F P R I O R I T y S P E C I E S P O P u l AT I O N S

56

27

25

37

37

11

28

14

1

2

N u M B E R O F S E C O N dA R y S P E C I E S P O P u l AT I O N S

Species with evidence of improved enforcement/protection

Species with evidence of reduced threats

Too soon to see resultsI M PAC T C h A I N

Credit: Carlos Drews/WW

F

Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI

Credit: Hieu Nguyen/CPC Vietnam


1 51 4


A focus on: Working to combat the illegal wildlife trade

Illegal and unsustainable trade in wildlife is a complex threat to many species, and one that FFI has worked to address both directly and indirectly for much of our history. Growing demand for wildlife products, increasing access to many wild species as a result of infrastructure development and deforestation, and improved global transport and economic pathways are fuelling unsustainable wildlife trade and pushing many species towards extinction. At the same time, inadequate legal frameworks, insufficient capacity for wildlife protection and enforcement, poor governance and corruption across source, transit and destination countries can undermine efforts to counter wildlife trafficking.

In 2019, 43 of our projects undertook activities to address illegal wildlife trade. Beyond this FFI also shared our valuable field expertise and data to influence decisions in international forums on how species are managed, including at CITES CoP18 and the First Americas Regional Conference on Illegal Trade in Wildlife. We worked in partnership with other NGOs and strengthened our partnerships with criminologists and behaviour-change specialists to ensure we are applying the latest, evidence-based approaches, in order to prevent opportunities for illegal activity and influence pro-environmental behaviour at our project sites.

Our key areas of focus in tackling illegal trade in wildlife are:• Preventing illegal extraction and trading of wildlife at source through support for

improved site-based wildlife protection and law enforcement.• Building capacity and leadership at local, national and regional levels to strengthen

legislation, improve enforcement and increase prosecution success. • Encouraging policy makers, governments, consumers and corporations to prioritise

wildlife crime, strengthen policy and its implementation, and address key drivers of illegal trade.

Captive aracaris toucans, Nicaragua. Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI


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S AV I N G T h E S A I G AThe saiga antelope has experienced one of the fastest recorded declines among mammals in recent decades. Once migrating in herds well over 100,000-strong across the steppes of Central Asia and Russia, this species is now critically endangered. One of the key drivers of the decline in numbers is the trade in the animal’s horn (found only on the males). FFI has been working to better understand and address this issue, specifically in the smallest remaining subpopulation of saiga in Kazakhstan, which had declined from 246,000 individuals in 1998 to just over 1,000 animals by 2015.

FFI and our in-country partners ACBK are supporting the government’s efforts to protect this subpopulation from poaching. In 2017 a monitoring team was put in place to patrol the landscape inhabited by the saiga, working to improve scientific understanding of the species and the threats it faces. Together with the Kazakhstan government we are ensuring this information is used to inform the protection of the species on the ground. FFI has also supported the deployment of sniffer dogs on the country’s borders, which are able to detect saiga horn (and other illegally traded items or species) and worked with the government to ensure that legislation aimed at protecting this species is effectively applied to trade in saiga horn.

These approaches are contributing to a change in fortunes for the saiga; 2019 saw authorities seize some 1,118kg of saiga horn (equivalent to 3,000 animals) and witnessed the detention of 18 members of a criminal group. Aerial surveys also confirmed that the population of saiga where FFI supports work is increasing, with an estimated 5,900 animals recorded in 2019.

O T h E R S u C C E S S S T O R I E S

Closing the loopholes on illegal trade in Caribbean reptiles“This year, with FFI’s support, the St Vincent and the Grenadines government were successful in their proposal to have the Union Island gecko, a species endemic to St Vincent and the Grenadines, listed on Appendix I of CITES. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry & Labour said: ‘The listing of this small but important species signifies a significant milestone in our efforts in conservation and proper management of our natural resources’. FFI and partners provided data on trade and population status to support the application, whilst also continuing to patrol the key habitat of the gecko. It is anticipated that this listing will support ongoing work by potentially closing a trade loophole. Research into the Caribbean reptile species sold openly online undertaken by the project saw a decline in the availability of Union Island geckos from 16 in 2017 to seven in 2019.”

reducing elephant poaching in mozambique“As a result of increasing patrol effort, enabled by the growing scout forces and improved equipment and infrastructure, there is a promising trend emerging in terms of reduced threats to wildlife in Chuilexi Conservancy. In 2019 there were no elephants lost to poaching incidents in Chuilexi or Niassa, which, alongside other external factors, helps show our work is having impact. There has also been a significant decline in the number of snares patrol teams have removed since 2015.”

Credit: Joe Heffernan/FFICredit: Victor Tyakht/bigstock


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A m B i T i O n 2 : r e s i l i e n T e C O s y s T e m s

Conserving threatened habitats

Conservation of natural habitats, both terrestrial and marine (see page 22), has always been a major pillar of FFI’s work, helping to deliver a broad range of benefits including securing spaces for species, maintaining ecosystem health and mitigating the effects of climate change. We work to secure key areas of natural habitat under effective conservation management both by ensuring that existing protected areas, whatever form they take, are more effectively managed and by bringing new areas under protection or sustainable management.

In 2019, 70 of our projects had a specific focus on conserving threatened habitat, specifically:

• We influenced8 conservation across almost 48 million hectares of important habitat, including over seven million hectares where we worked directly on the ground.

• This included over 330,000 hectares that we helped to bring under conservation management for the first time (by supporting the creation of new reserves or community management areas).

In 2019 we worked across 282 separate sites including protected areas (PAs) and non-protected sites:

• Of the 282 sites where we work, we directly promoted habitat conservation activities in 206.

• Across our portfolio of projects, we supported active management and/or protection of threatened habitats by:

• Supporting on-the-ground enforcement or protection in at least 96 sites. • Supporting over 1,000 rangers across our projects. • Helping to produce 49 site-management plans. • Helping to restore habitat at 30 sites. • Helping to carry out invasive species control at 16 sites.

Flowering fynbos vegetation in Flower Valley, South Africa. Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI

8. We work to influence conservation at different levels; this includes directly supporting on-the-ground conservation, influencing conservation delivery across wider target landscapes and supporting key partners to deliver conservation across their own priority areas. In addition, if we give a grant for an emergency intervention at a World Heritage site through the Rapid Response Facility, we do not consider this a direct conservation engagement, but recognise that emergency assistance has influenced the conservation of this site.

95State PAs

10Private

PAs

75Community

PAs

5Other

PAs

97Non-

protected

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How successful we have beenThis impact chain shows the number of FFI sites at each stage of progress towards habitat or biodiversity recovery based on a total of 206 sites where we work directly to safeguard habitat. Twenty-five sites are not included as there was insufficient information available about impact in these locations this year.

Sites showing

evidence of habitat/

biodiversity recovery

Sites withevidence thathabitat is still

in decline

183268 4221 0

I M PAC T C h A I N Species with evidence of improved enforcement/protection

Sites brought under conservation management


Too soon to see results


ensuring the persistence of Transylvania’s grasslands“The Târnava Mare High Nature Value farmed landscape is one of Europe’s last great lowland high-biodiversity regions and the purchase and management of land within this region has secured and prevented these important high nature value areas from being consolidated and agriculturally intensified. The risk of this is evidenced by an area immediately neighbouring one of the project’s areas having been ploughed and seeded with maize. New management regimes in secured areas include a change from hard grazing of meadows and pastures by sheep to introducing grazing with cattle. The status of grassland habitat condition and species mix is measurably improving under this new management regime with positive impacts on meadow habitat quality.”

Working with communities to reduce threats to forests in myanmar“Remote sensing imagery from 2010, 2015 and 2019 demonstrates that local communities no longer rely on clearing primary forest. Shifting cultivation has been significantly reduced through project interventions including developing agroforestry in the permanent gardens close to villages. Communities have also been supported to improve value chains for coffee through improved harvesting techniques, post-harvest processing and marketing. Over the same period gibbon numbers have increased and gibbons are now seen more easily close to human settlements.”

improving management in guinea’s Ziama man and Biosphere reserve“The status of Ziama as a Man and Biosphere Reserve has been strengthened with the validation of the management plan. This has meant developing a new zoning plan for the reserve which provides a clear definition of activities that are permitted in the different zones. Longer term this should lead to an improvement in the health of the different habitats as authorities will be in position to enforce regulations applying to each zone without the confusion about their usage that is currently the case. In 2019, four poachers were arrested, 2,241 snares destroyed, 985 12-gauge shotgun cases collected and four shotguns seized.”


Credit: ADEPT

Forest elephant, Ziama. Credit: Gaston Touaro

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A focus on: Our changing climate

The increasing likelihood of irreversible climate change coupled with biodiversity loss represents a twin crisis. These crises are intimately linked, with climate change driving further losses of habitats and species, and our destruction of natural places and processes also exacerbating climate change. Our work to protect habitats plays an important role in securing and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere, and we are working to ensure nature is both resilient to climate change impacts and is able to support human society to adapt to new climate norms.

In 2019, FFI’s work around the globe directly helped to protect over seven million hectares of natural habitat, including forests, peatlands and the carbon-rich habitats and sediments around the coasts (so-called “blue carbon”). By protecting these habitats we are helping to ensure the carbon within vegetation and soils is kept in place, and does not escape to the atmosphere.

Although we are not yet able to estimate the total carbon value of the sites where we work, we do focus specifically on demonstrating forest carbon storage at sites in three of our projects, where we have developed Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) projects. Together these ensure that targeted areas of primary tropical forests are effectively protected from destruction while also protecting associated wildlife and providing a new income stream to the local people who act to conserve these sites.

As well as ensuring that carbon within primary habitats is protected (given the increasing recognition of the overwhelming importance of keeping natural carbon in place), our work has also contributed to increased carbon sequestration through, for example, planting of over one million indigenous trees and supporting the restoration of mangrove and grassland ecosystems.

During 2019 we also worked to ensure a greater understanding of the role of nature in mitigating and adapting to climate change, promoting the value of “nature-based solutions” through contributions to policy-related discussions at the World Economic Forum, and with the World Bank, the UK government and leading corporate organisations.

In 2019 our projects also worked to ensure that focal species, sites and the communities we work with are able to adapt to the changes in climate that are already occurring and which are predicted to escalate over coming years. Across our portfolio some 14 projects described actions to build resilience to climate change as part of their work, or to develop nature-based solutions to help communities to adapt to future climate change.

Surveying a dry riverbed in northern Kenya. Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI.


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P l A N N I N G F O R A C h A N G I N G C l I M AT E

During 2019 targeted vulnerability assessments were conducted for seven endemic threatened species in Anguilla. All of the species had vulnerabilities with four, all reptiles, highly vulnerable to climate change. Information on climate impacts was also included in population modelling for these reptiles to identify the best interventions to help secure these species in the face of climate change. For example the critically endangered Sombrero ground lizard – which is currently restricted to the tiny island of Sombrero (38 hectares), faces additional risks of extinction as a result of the expected increase in frequency of hurricanes and storm surges as well as sea level rise in this region. Its population has already nose-dived from around 600 individuals to fewer than 300, partly due to the impact of six major hurricanes since 1999 and unprecedented tsunami-like storm surges.

As a result of the analysis conducted in 2019 the project team is considering the potential for reforestation to provide better cover and the potential need to create a back-up population in a less perilous location.

E N S u R I N G R E S I l I E N C E T O C l I M AT E C h A N G E

Our work with farmers on Ometepe Island, Nicaragua builds on an initial climate adaptation plan developed in 2013. During 2019 we continued to work to develop climate-smart agriculture with 100 farmers, with a focus on crop diversification, soil conservation and improvement, water management and demonstrating the importance of forests for climate mitigation, links to food production and the potential for nature-friendly agriculture. Work included planting some 15,000 trees, reducing tillage (thus keeping soil in place), increasing vegetation cover (by leaving stubble in place), improving irrigation systems, introducing new drought- and pest-resistant crop varieties and adapting planting dates. Ongoing monitoring of these interventions demonstrates tangible benefits for farmers in economic, social and environmental terms; for example, farmers have year-round production and therefore supply of healthy food, crops are more resilient to pests, diseases and climate change impacts, and there is a reducing dependence upon external inputs (by between 6% and 30% depending on the crop). An assessment of 21 farms following Tropical Storm Nate in 2017 found that the farms that had diversified their crops, were using staggered planting schemes, agroforestry and living boundaries suffered significantly lower crop losses than farms that had not employed such climate-smart techniques.

Gunung Tujuh, Kerinci Seblat National Park. Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI

M A I N TA I N I N G C A R B O N S T O C k S Our work in the buffer zone of Kerinci Seblat National Park in Indonesia, has created a network of 70 villages and we are working to establish their rights to collectively protect over 95,000 hectares of forest, the first of which have been verified for carbon payments. Evidence from the first three focal villages demonstrate that community-led protection has resulted in a decline in deforestation rates from 2% to less than 0.5% a year, protecting some 6,539 tonnes of carbon. One of these “village forests” is among the first in Indonesia to issue carbon certificates (verified by Plan Vivo); this is also the first FFI project able to offer carbon credits for sale under this verification scheme.


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A focus on: Ensuring financial sustainability

In order to ensure that our work has a lasting impact we recognise the need to find long-term and sustainable financing solutions that will support biodiversity conservation. Sustainable finance works to increase and diversify the income of households, businesses and NGOs in ways that contribute to conservation incomes and FFI works across a wide spectrum of opportunities to find these solutions, from supporting livelihoods of marginalised local communities, to specialised partner support, to engaging with powerful global investors in order to develop commercial opportunities that help to safeguard threatened species and habitats and create value for local communities.

A core approach to establishing sustainable financing across a number of projects in FFI’s portfolio is our work to support the establishment and growth of conservation enterprises or to develop market systems that contribute to our overall conservation goals. We work together with our partners or local communities to identify promising opportunities, and help nurture these embryonic businesses to the point where they are financially and operationally sustainable, capable of achieving self-sufficiency and generating livelihood benefits explicitly linked to positive conservation outcomes.

During 2019, across FFI’s portfolio:

• Fourteen projects worked on enterprise or market systems development – nine community-based and five NGO partner-led.

• Relationships have been developed with 15 corporates in the cosmetic and food sectors who are potential buyers of sustainable, natural ingredients from landscapes where we are supporting a conservation enterprise approach.

Beekeeping, Príncipe. Credit: Maique M

adeira


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d E V E l O P I N G M A R k E T S y S T E M S T O B E N E F I T C O M M u N I T I E S A N d B I O d I V E R S I T y

FFI has been working to strengthen the octopus market system in Pemba, Tanzania since 2014. With limited management of the marine environment, overfishing of octopus was decreasing the size of individuals caught and affecting profitability for community members, especially women who were perceived to be using techniques for capture that involved less skill than men. Bringing together the fisher community and buyers enabled them to understand that the issues they faced individually were actually shared concerns and, by ensuring recognition of octopus size as a critical leverage point in the market system, the work of this project has helped to bring about conservation and social impacts.

In 2019, communities agreed to periodic closures of their octopus fisheries to allow the octopus they catch to grow larger. As a result, communities saw the price they were paid for octopus increase by 25% from the previous year, with women in particular seeing increases of up to 60%. This has also benefited biodiversity; in-water surveys in one community have shown the increased presence of juvenile fish (parrotfish in particular), of cowries (a good seashell indicator), and a reduction of sea urchins between October 2017 and March 2019.

“The price of octopus last year was 4,000 TSH but, following the workshop, the fisher committee organised a meeting with local octopus buyers to discuss prices. The local buyers initially agreed for 4,500 TSH, but with further negotiation they increased their price to 5,000 TSH, a 25% increase overall.”

Ali Said, Mwambao Coastal Community Network

S u P P O R T I N G B u S I N E S S d I V E R S I F I C AT I O N I N K e n yA : T h e O l P e j e TA m O d e l

Since its establishment in 2004 Ol Pejeta Conservancy has become a sanctuary for black rhinos, chimpanzees and the last northern white rhinos, has the highest wildlife numbers of any conservancy in Kenya outside the Maasai Mara, and attracts large numbers of Kenyan and overseas visitors annually. Ol Pejeta has pursued a successful strategy of diversifying its business model to reduce risk and safeguard income streams, developing profitable agriculture and cattle enterprises alongside tourism.

Ol Pejeta’s tourism income comes from daily gate fees for all visitors, lease income from contracted lodge and camp operators and fees charged for a suite of unique conservation experiences. Ol Pejeta has long sought to set up and run its own premium accommodation facility in the historic Ol Pejeta House. During 2019 FFI worked with Ol Pejeta to develop a business model, undertake a financial analysis and pitch to a philanthropic investor. The pitch was successful and the investor has released $1,000,000 to fund the refurbishment of Ol Pejeta House, which aims to generate around $250,000 a year for on-the-ground conservation activities in perpetuity.

Credit: Hannah Becker/FFI

View of Ol Pejeta House at night. Credit: Juan Pablo M

oreiras/FFI


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In 2010, FFI launched a new initiative specifically to address the growing threats facing marine habitats and species. We work to improve the conservation of the marine environment by safeguarding habitats and species (thus also protecting associated human livelihoods) through effective local management; tackling the wider threats to marine ecosystems through improved policy and practice; and strengthening the ability of local and national organisations (including community-based organisations) to protect their marine environments.

In 2019, 259 of our projects focused on marine and coastal conservation.

As part of this:• We worked directly at 46 marine sites, of which 41 were new or established protected

areas (state, community, private or other) while five did not yet have a conservation designation.

• We helped to directly conserve over 1.3 million hectares of important marine and coastal habitat, and influenced conservation over almost 4.8 million additional hectares.

Since the start of the initiative we have:• Established or better protected 54 marine protected areas. • Created 75 new no-take zones in 11 countries.

In our current 46 focal sites:• We are able to evidence a reduction in destructive fishing and poaching threats at 15 sites. • There is evidence of biodiversity recovery in nine of these sites.• We have seen signs of recovery in 17 key species groups including reef fish, sea turtles,

sharks, seals and seahorses.• Habitat recovery has been recorded across coral reef, rocky reef, mangrove and seagrass

habitats.


Protecting marine and coastal ecosystems

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9. The data on these pages is a subset of the information presented on pages 16-17.

Coral reef survey, Cambodia. Credit: M

att Glue/FFI


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How successful we have beenOf the 46 sites where we work, we directly promoted habitat conservation activities in 41. This impact chain shows the number of FFI’s 41 marine and coastal sites at each stage of progress towards habitat or biodiversity recovery. Five sites are not included as there was insufficient information available about impact in these locations this year.

Sites showing

evidence of habitat/


Sites withevidence thathabitat is still

in decline

960 165 0

I M PAC T C h A I N Species with evidence of improved enforcement/protection

Sites brought under conservation management



A snapshot of our workThese quotes, taken from project reports, provide an insight into some of the stories behind these numbers.

enabling effective marine conservation in Cambodia“Given the severe threats at the field sites in Cambodia, the lack of further degradation strongly indicates that the marine management measures supported by FFI are working. The ‘Koh Rong Coral Reef Health Assessment’ report shows that seahorse species diversity has increased since surveys began in 2016, and that there is remarkable stability in fish biomass, hard coral cover and abundance of commercially fished species. A reduction in destructive fishing practices due to increasingly effective community-led patrols may be one contributing factor to this increase in biodiversity. The Community Fishery committee reported reduced trawling within the Community Fishery boundary, with many stories of positive action.”

increasing environmentally friendly fishing practices, honduras“During 2019 the project conducted an evaluation in which stakeholders were asked about the ‘most significant change’ they had perceived over the project duration. The process generated many illuminating observations. One local fisher in particular explained how they were beginning to see the benefits of improved communication and respect between fisher groups, use of environmentally friendly fishing methods and protection of certain small areas, and that this was motivating them to expand and protect more.”

Credit: Matt Glue/FFI

Credit: Vance Russell/FFI


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A core principle of FFI’s approach is to work in partnership, building on our belief that effective long-term conservation solutions lie in local hands. Across our projects we work with a diverse range of people – from government agencies, corporations and NGOs to local community co-operatives and individuals – and we support these partners and collaborators in developing and accessing the resources, skills and tools they need to be effective in delivering biodiversity benefits.

We generally take a long-term approach, adapting the support we give to meet changing needs over time and remaining in touch when our support is no longer needed on the ground.

In 2019, 96 projects undertook some form of capacity building, conservation training or organisational support activity. As part of this:• 247 organisations (across the full breadth of our partner types) received some form of

direct capacity development support, through organisational strengthening (such as assistance with systems or governance), provision of equipment or infrastructure, training and/or mentoring, or technical support.

• At least 4,100 individuals received conservation training. These included partner staff, students and members of local communities.

• We supported the establishment of three new organisations, and supported or established at least 126 community-based organisations.

• We helped at least 16 organisations to source their own funds independently of direct support from FFI.

We channelled funding into local conservation organisations:• In 2019 we directly disbursed some £4.3 million to implementing partner organisations. • Through the six internal and external grant funds we run, we also channelled significant

funding to projects, partners and local conservation champions. • We influenced the distribution of a further £2.6 million in conservation funding by

reviewing almost 550 grant applications for three external grant providers.

A m B i T i O n 3 : l O C A l l y l e d C O n s e r v A T i O n

Working in partnership

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Hawksbill turtle, Nicaragua. Credit: Alam Ram

írez/FFI


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How successful we have beenThis impact chain shows the progress of the 96 projects that carried out work contributing to improved conservation capacity and leadership among the organisations with which they worked. Eleven projects are not included on the chain as there was insufficient information available about their impact this year.

Reduced threats and/or improved biodiversity outcomes

No response from capacity-building work

I M PAC T C h A I NIncreased organisational/individual effectiveness/independence

Skills applied and/or organisational systems/governance improved

Implementation of good/improved biodiversity management


122119 267 0


Building capacity for conservation in Cape verde “The success of capacity building with our partner Maio Biodiversity Foundation is demonstrated in their ability to secure and implement grants and encourage national ownership of conservation efforts amongst the wider population without the need for FFI input. Amongst many other actions, Maio Biodiversity Foundation have continued to train local fishers to undertake monitoring in their fishing grounds around the island for illegal activities and megafauna species. These fishers have agreed to continue patrolling on a voluntary basis without fuel incentives for the project, showing the value of local pride and desire to protect national marine ecosystems and resources, and ensuring ownership and sustainability of this initiative beyond project funding.”

Working to scale up innovative conservation in Tajikistan

“Our NGO partner Zam Zam has grown in stature and scale since FFI started supporting it in 2017. Initially Zam Zam worked to support the development of livelihoods work in Dashtijum reserve by bringing together communities, buyers and

other stakeholders to develop a shared understanding and vision of a market for forest products that supported local communities and complemented biodiversity conservation. They are now confidently using these methods in the field and delivering activities to a high standard. They were then a very local NGO, but now work across Khatlon region, and may soon extend their activities to the national level.”

enabling forest conservation in Brazil“Sociedade Chauá have now independently secured significant grant funding to continue their work. During a visit to the UK in October, the Director of Sociedade Chauá delivered a presentation about the development of the organisation, reflecting on FFI’s support and regular contact. There has been a restructure of the organisation, a new website, new partnerships and more funding secured, all things discussed during strategic planning in 2017, and highlighted by the director as ‘things that couldn’t have happened without FFI’.”

Credit: Jeff Wilson/FFI

Credit: Evan Bowen-Jones

Credit: Rasima Sabzalieva/FFI


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FFI has a long history of working with communities in biodiversity-rich landscapes to support them to act as effective custodians of their natural resources. We seek to work in partnership with indigenous people and local communities, and other key stakeholders, to achieve nature conservation and viable livelihoods both now and for the future.

In 2019, 97% of relevant field projects included engagement with women and men to strengthen natural resource governance and support sustainable livelihoods strategies in order to achieve positive outcomes for both biodiversity and human well-being.

As part of this: • We engaged with or supported over 520 communities through our projects,

with at least 5,600 community members interviewed or consulted.• At least 35 projects contributed to the development of sustainable livelihoods,

benefiting almost 9,000 people directly and almost 11,000 others indirectly.• Sustainable livelihood activities generated income of over US$47,000 within

target communities, and over 3,600 community members received livelihoods training.

• We helped more than 210 communities become involved in improving local planning or governance.

• We supported and/or helped to establish at least 126 local community-based organisations.

• Nine projects specifically reported supporting local communities to develop the rights to tenure over land or resources.

• We increasingly worked to integrate gender into our project design and implementation.


Putting communities at the heart of conservation

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Beach cleaning, Cape Verde. Credit: Jeff Wilson/FFI


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How successful we have beenThis impact chain shows how the 73 projects that engaged with and empowered local communities are progressing towards biodiversity improvements linked to changes in local support or behaviour. Seven projects are not included on the chain as there was insufficient information available about their impact this year.

Attributable habitat/


No response from

community engagement

work

5207 1814 0

I M PAC T C h A I N Improvements in livelihoods, well-being and/or attitudes

Positive engagement in biodiversity conservation

Changes in behaviours/reduction of threats



Benefits for communities and biodiversity from honey production in romania“Our honey development and marketing strategy began to be put in practice in earnest in March and our honey is now stocked in 13 retailers in 29 stores across eight counties in Romania. We have sold 2,444 bottles of honey over the last 10 months, netting an income of 34,000 Ron (€9,500). This is enabling beekeepers to come together and strengthen their bargaining power to achieve better prices for their honey. By supporting the sale of their honey at a fair price, farmers earn a fair income which allows them to continue a traditional farming practice and showcase their pure and premium honey derived from the Zarand landscape, creating a greater incentive to continue to manage the land in ways that also conserve the Zarand landscape corridor. This is also encouraging communities to value and preserve wildflower meadows and sustainably managed forests as beekeepers rely on these habitats for bees to pollinate and produce honey from wild flowers and trees such as lime and acacia.”

supporting communities to engage in marine conservation in scotland“The community groups who participate in and are supported by the project’s Coastal Communities Network have achieved much during 2019. Governance structures have been developed such as groups adopting constitutions (for example, the Fairlie Coastal Trust) or gaining charitable status (for example, Friends of the Sound of Jura is now a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Association). This has enabled them to also develop funding applications, either

independently or collaboratively. Other support provided to groups who have applied for projects under the Community Support Fund has enabled the development of skills including navigating funding applications and donor processes, developing their group’s governance and capacity, undertaking biodiversity survey work, lobbying government/politicians, producing engaging and informative literature and materials on conservation issues. One group (CAOLAS), which became a charitable organisation in 2017, received additional external funding in 2019 and now supports separate, subsidiary initiatives. This is good evidence that the model of partner support FFI is able to provide to CAOLAS enables interlinked conservation projects to be nurtured.”

Credit: Olivia Bailey/FFI

Credit: Friends of the Sound of Jura

Credit: ?


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FFI is committed to supporting emerging conservation leaders around the world who have the talent and commitment to change the landscape of conservation, but who may be constrained by a lack of experience or limited access to resources.

In 2019 our work to enable these individuals to fulfil their conservation potential included:• Direct support to early-career conservationists through the Conservation

Leadership Programme, which provided opportunities including: three internships, five travel grants, three small grant awards to carry out conservation work and targeted training for 38 individuals (24 female and 14 male).

• Supporting the delivery of the Cambridge MPhil in Conservation Leadership, a groundbreaking course that started in 2010. Uniquely, it is delivered by a collaboration comprising six university departments and nine leading conservation organisations including FFI. To date, 181 students from 78 countries have completed this course. During 2019 the 2018-19 cohort (17 students from 16 countries) completed the course and the 2019-20 cohort (21 students from 16 countries) commenced its studies.

• FFI staff continue to teach on a diverse range of academic and non-academic conservation courses.

• Supporting tertiary-level education to improve conservation skills in focal countries including through the Master’s programme in Biodiversity Conservation at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, which FFI helped to develop in 2005.

• Playing a core role in the organisation and delivery of the Capacity Building for Conservation Global Conference in London. This event aimed to enhance the skills and knowledge that individuals and organisations must utilise to deliver effective conservation outcomes and attracted 158 attendees from multiple countries in the global north and south.


Developing conservation leaders

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Seagrass monitoring. Credit: Com

munity Centred Conservation (C3)


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A snapshot of our workThe example below shows just what an effect our support for emerging conservation leaders has – not only on the individuals themselves, but also on the long-term conservation of critical habitat and the species that depend on it:

C R E AT I N G w I l d l I F E C O R R I d O R S I N A R G E N T I N A

Back in 2002, a team of early-career conservationists, headed up by diego varela, began work on a project funded by the Conservation leadership Programme (ClP) to evaluate the ecological connectivity between two provincial parks in northern Argentina.

Even at this early stage in their careers, Diego and the team had a vision of connecting these two areas – Urugua-í and Horacio Foerster provincial parks – and expanding a continuous stretch of threatened Atlantic Forest.

“Our assumption was that animals from the large forest block of Urugua-í park would pass through a restored corridor to the isolated Foerster park,” says Diego, who is now Coordinator of Atlantic Forest Biodiversity Observatory at Instituto de Biología Subtropical (CONICET), a role within Argentina’s national research agency focused on regional biodiversity monitoring. “CLP’s long-term financial support between 2002 and 2008 allowed the continuation of forest restoration actions, the creation of several private protected areas, and the consolidation of our local NGO (Conservación Argentina). Once the project was consolidated, we received new funding from IUCN Netherlands Committee and Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina that allowed us to buy additional areas of land that have undergone significant forest regeneration and are now protected as nature reserves.”

In 2019, seventeen years since the original CLP investment, and as a result of the ongoing dedication and hard work of Diego, other CLP alumni and the wider conservation community working in northern Argentina, these previously isolated and fragmented patches of Atlantic Forest have now become an exemplar for successful conservation site management demonstrating the impact of wildlife corridors.

One of the major results of the project was the successful adoption of the team’s recommendation for wildlife crossings to be constructed under and over Highway 101, which bisects the area. Following the team’s advice, the local authorities built two wildlife underpasses and, in 2008, the first ever wildlife overpass to be built in Latin America was constructed. Native flora and fauna have been gradually returning to the area for a number of years, assisted through the planting of saplings grown in local nurseries. There are now approximately 330 species of bird recorded in the region, including all five species of toucan found in Argentina. Crucially, the corridor has become a national hotspot for birdwatching, demonstrating the viability of ecotourism as a local and regional economic alternative. Camera traps have also revealed a number of small carnivores including crab-eating fox, tayra, coati, southern tiger cat, ocelot and jaguarundi as well as lesser anteaters, white-lipped peccary, and an endemic dwarf brocket deer. “We’re already tracking the return of tapirs to the corridor as well as large carnivores. Over the past seven years the presence of pumas is relatively frequent and recently we have registered footprints that probably belong to jaguar.”

Diego cites support from the Conservation Leadership Programme as critical to his success: “CLP’s support was essential in my early stage of formation as a conservation professional and allowed me to consolidate a long-term project that now has 17 years of work in the field. Alumni grants have allowed me to train and participate in international events that have strengthened my working network.”

Diego Varela, Conservation Leadership Programme alumnus


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Working with governments is a crucial element of ensuring the sustainability of our work. Strengthening the policy, regulatory and enforcement frameworks can play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of our work to conserve species and ecosystems.

In 2019, 65 projects engaged with policymakers in various ways and we contributed to the development of at least 25 laws, regulations or government-level strategic plans with implications for conservation, and influenced a further 78 policies. Across our projects, 155 of our 426 primary partners were government agencies.

Time and effort is needed to make policy change, particularly at national level, and in many cases it is very difficult to track the subsequent application of policy or legislation, or to attribute biodiversity gains to specific policy outcomes. However, we recognise that our work to develop, draft and influence laws, regulations and government plans is often crucial to long-term success in other areas of work.

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Supporting governments to protect biodiversity

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Coastal landscape, Nicaragua. Credit: Otto M

ejía


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How successful we have beenThis impact chain shows progress towards policy and legislative change in relevant projects working on developing or influencing 103 laws, regulations, plans or policies in 2019. A further six policy engagements saw impact in 2019 due to work in previous years. Three pieces of policy work are not included on the chain as there was insufficient information available about their impact this year.

Attributable habitat/


No response from policy-related

work

61059 303 1

I M PAC T C h A I N Legislation or policy actively applied/enforced

Policies, legislation or decisions changed

Changed behaviour/reduced threats



Protecting Africa’s elephants in Cambodia“Our ivory DNA findings were presented during a CITES Secretariat visit at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, highlighting the first evidence ever provided of African elephant ivory being sold in Cambodia. As a direct result of this visit, the African elephant has been added to the protected species list of Cambodia and all elephant ivory is regarded as illegal in the country. We continue our efforts to ensure that the implementation of this measure translates to appropriate enforcement measures.”

moving towards sustainable financing of conservation in vietnam“During 2019 FFI’s team in Vietnam saw significant progress made towards sustainable financing for key conservation sites. Government partners involved in the management of Muong La Nature Reserve agreed, after around two years of FFI consultation and lobbying, to allocate 200 hectares of forest to the Community Conservation Team, who patrol and monitor in the reserve, to manage in addition to their normal work. These 200 hectares will generate additional income for the team of VND 80,000,000 (~US$3,500) per year from Payment for Ecosystem Services. The Payment for Ecosystem Services monies that the team will be accessing are paid into a fund from downstream users, for example, hydroelectric dams/companies, and the monthly payments from the fund go directly to forest owners and people protecting the forest, and thus the watershed. This financing system is already active in another of our project sites in the country so there are exciting opportunities ahead as these replicable models for performance-based community-based conservation are implemented.”

enabling protection for key species in Barbados“The Ministry of Environment and National Beautification is demonstrating commitment to conserving the Barbados leaf-toed gecko, notably including securing funding to establish a biosecure (alien invasive species free) site with the primary aim of providing a sanctuary for the gecko. The state-owned land identified by the project as the best site for the sanctuary has been approved for this purpose. The Permanent Secretary furthermore asked that more than one sanctuary be created, funding permitting.”

Credit: © JABRUSO

N

Credit: Jenny Daltry/FFI


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FFI aims to engage with key business sectors, particularly those posing significant threats to critical ecosystems, in order to influence them to reduce their environmental impacts and to promote leadership in biodiversity impact management.

In 2019:

• 60 projects engaged with the private sector in a variety of ways, from local business initiatives to corporate decision-makers.

• 25 projects worked to improve biodiversity management practices in business operations, while 14 projects received financial support from businesses.

• We directly partnered with 14 multinational businesses, and six national subsidiaries of these and other multinationals, to improve biodiversity management and/or help them understand local biodiversity values.

• We continue to work to ensure that the standards to which businesses are held accountable by large lender institutions are robust and offer appropriate protection to the species and habitats that could be affected.

• We have worked with mineral and agricultural businesses to strengthen voluntary standards, certification schemes and assurance processes throughout their supply chains.

• We have continued to work with partners to develop ‘forest-smart mining’ principles and recommendations, for use by all those investing in, licensing, regulating or carrying out mining in forest ecosystems, based on research from 54 mining operations in 19 countries with 18 companies.

• We are working with a collaboration that is engaging businesses in identifying and managing risks to wild pollinators.


Embedding biodiversity in private-sector decision making

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Backlit Burmannia flower, Cam

bodia. Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI


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How successful we have beenThe impact chain below shows the number of interventions that FFI worked on in 2019 in order to influence improved biodiversity management and decision making.

Evidence of reduced threats and/or improved biodiversity outcomes as a result of corporate good practice;

Business demonstrating leadership in sharing biodiversity good practice and

promoting it in others

No response from private sector work

I M PAC T C h A I N

Operational procedures in place (e.g. biodiversity plans and monitoring) for companies; and/or best practice guidelines adopted and promoted by lenders

Evidence of best practice implemented by companies as a result of either direct support or through application of best practice models

012 0

Best practice guidelines/standards produced and/or corporate partner commits to best practice


Awareness of key issues raised within corporate/lender or statutory sector and/or relevant initiatives influenced by reviews or participation

570


Working for a zero-carbon future in the extractives industry“During 2019 FFI supported a corporate partner in exploring a zero-carbon future through a workshop on environmental technologies and the opportunities these presented in achieving zero carbon. Two months after the workshop the company announced a zero-carbon target. FFI can take credit for pushing the envelope with our partner regarding the options available and some of the thinking relating to nature-based climate solutions, in addition to how biodiversity and ecosystem services are dealt with in the company. This target and the ongoing evolution of this company’s commitments means that it is going beyond the standard practices to which the industry more widely works and is demonstrating real leadership in this area.”

supporting corporates to meet their biodiversity ambitions“In 2019 we continued to support a key player in the extractives industry to meet its commitments to delivering net positive impact for biodiversity across its operations through the implementation of its sustainability strategy. The company is at forefront of the Net Positive Impact approach and is trying to put in place practices to implement and deliver on the commitment. Amongst the most exciting developments this year was the engagement we had at key sites while visiting existing infrastructure, planned expansions and surrounding landscapes to develop specific understanding of the context of the operations. This helped us to shape specific recommendations for the site-level teams around areas for improvement, and necessary steps to becoming on track towards achieving Net Positive Impact. The buy-in we have experienced from those working at site level to make changes to operations has been very exciting to see.”

ensuring pollinators are valued in corporate decision making“FFI staff delivered a presentation in June 2019 at the Cocoa Round Table in Hamburg, which introduced the idea of wild pollinator management as a financial risk management tool to key corporates. This work builds on the development of a Pollinator Vulnerability Assessment as a method for companies to use to understand the risk to corporate supply chains of pollinator loss, a piece of work undertaken by FFI with other NGOs, academics – particularly from the University of Cambridge’s Zoology Department – and businesses. One of the companies that attended the presentation is now actively looking at implementing large-scale pollinator management at its sustainable production plantation in Nicaragua, in part based upon information presented.”

Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI

Credit: Maique M

adeira


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A focus on: Marine plastics

The scale and impact of plastic pollution on the marine environment is now recognised as never before – with at least eight million tonnes a year reported to enter the ocean. The effects of plastic on marine life are increasingly understood – not just in terms of the deaths of marine mammals and turtles from plastic entanglement, and seabirds with their stomachs filled with plastic pieces, but also the insidious impacts of microplastics on many smaller marine invertebrates, and the potential for plastics to convey toxins into the marine food chain.

A d E C A d E O F I N T E R V E N T I O N SFFI was the first biodiversity NGO to work on the issue of microplastic pollution, starting in 2009. As well as considering the larger-scale drivers of plastic pollution, we have addressed specific key issues, such as microbeads in personal care and cosmetic products, where our work directly resulted in a UK ban in 2018, thus demonstrating that making a difference to the overwhelming flow of plastics into the sea is achievable.

We also recognise that plastics are a demonstrable problem in many of the marine protected areas where we and our partners operate around the world. Here the issues may be very different – with visible piles of plastic waste entering these seas. Wherever we work, we are focused on reducing plastic at source – be it through bans or restrictions on specific items, changes in policy that reduce the use of unnecessary plastic, or ensuring accountability for those companies whose actions result in plastic pollution to the environment. We also recognise that improved waste management plays a role (although it is unlikely to be FFI’s focus), and the immediate response of clean-ups may be appropriate in specific contexts.

In 2019 FFI continued to tackle this issue, driven by a recognition of the threat that plastic poses to marine life and the need to address this at source where possible. We focus on reducing the flow of microplastic pollution into the sea (with a focus on the direct release of microplastics, rather than from the long-term break up of larger plastic items) and on helping to develop locally appropriate solutions to plastic waste across sites in FFI’s marine programme. In support of both these activities, we also work to provide a well-informed, credible and sensible standpoint on plastics to a range of external audiences (including government and business).

Marine plastic waste. Credit: Aryfahm

ed/Adobe Stock


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T u R N I N G O F F T h E TA P Plastic pellets, also known as ‘nurdles’, are the building blocks from which all plastics are made; they are also a significant source of direct microplastic pollution into our oceans. As a result of poor handling and transportation, these pellets are routinely spilt and lost to the environment at every stage of the plastic supply chain: production, storage, loading and unloading, transportation and conversion into plastic products. Nurdles are routinely found in the stomachs of fish and seabirds, who mistake them for food (due to their resemblance to fish eggs floating in the water). Ingesting pellets not only clogs up seabirds’ stomachs, but may provide a route through which toxic chemicals can be transferred into their bodies.

To solve this problem there is a need to ensure companies using and handling pellets are accountable for their loss to the environment. Our ambition is to see the development of a transparent best practice system consisting of a standard (outlining minimum requirements against which all companies in the supply chain can be externally audited) and a certification scheme (to demonstrate compliance with this standard). In practice the system may need to be underpinned by legislation in due course to ensure consistent uptake and fairness across all parts of the supply chain.

Working towards this goal, in 2019 we helped to engage a group of investors to mobilise the development of the first globally applicable standard for pellet management that could be used across the supply chain. This will be developed, with FFI’s involvement, over the course of one year (2020 – 2021). We also continued to take part in a cross-sector working group convened by the Scottish government, which is trialling a supply chain approach to pellet management for the first time. In addition to these practical steps we also worked to build on previous successes and help to ensure pellet pollution was included as a priority within the EU Plastics Strategy. FFI continued to work with a coalition of European NGOs to keep pellets on the agenda for key EU agencies and politicians.

N O T I M E T O w A S T EIn 2019 we also partnered with three development agencies (Tearfund, WasteAid and the Institute of Development Studies) to produce a report, No Time to Waste, which highlighted the growing crisis of plastic waste in developing countries and in particular our concerns about the lack of responsibility taken by multinational corporates in introducing plastic into countries without the necessary waste infrastructure to deal with it. Sir David Attenborough provided a foreword to the report, and launched it at a meeting hosted by the Wall Street Journal, and his involvement helped it gain significant media traction and exposure – including coverage on Sky News and a front page article in The Daily Telegraph. We also had the opportunity to discuss the issue and share a briefing directly with politicians during a parliamentary event.

The last year has also seen the development of work within specific sites in FFI’s marine portfolio where marine plastic pollution is a particular threat and has the potential to undermine the biodiversity benefits we seek to deliver through other interventions. As well as directly tackling the issue of marine plastic pollution we hope to use the experience we gain to influence the ongoing dialogue around plastic use and waste.

I N F l u E N C I N G T h E A G E N d A O N P l A S T I CIn addition to the work above, during 2019 FFI was invited to participate in over 20 events where we have delivered talks, sat on panels or taken part in workshops across academic, business and government forums. We are increasingly recognised for our knowledge, credibility and practical standpoint on plastics. We intend to use this position to drive forward the conversations to tackle this pervasive conservation issue.

Credit: Stéphane Bidouze/Adobe Stock

Credit:Dilyana Mihaylova/FFI


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Within our projects we also work to influence behaviour through targeted awareness raising, education and outreach. It is our ambition that this work will help to engender support for conservation initiatives across a range of audiences.

In 2019, 78 of our projects supported some form of conservation awareness or outreach activity, reaching at least 1.1 million people with conservation messages. As part of this:

• Almost 260 communities and over 26,700 community members were reached through awareness or outreach activities.

• We supported at least 239 community-focused awareness events.

• We reached at least 118 schools and almost 13,000 schoolchildren.

• 29 projects produced awareness materials.

• Project work was featured in 43 radio or TV shows, films or videos.

• At least 78 project-level websites or social media pages were in use.


Awareness, education and outreach

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Ecological Field Techniques field trip, Bokor, Cambodia. Credit: Chaderwan Ung


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How successful we have beenThis impact chain shows the 78 projects that delivered conservation awareness and outreach as part of their activities and where these projects are in the process of securing more conservation-friendly behaviours among their key audiences. A further three awareness, education and outreach engagements saw impact in 2019 due to work in previous years. Twenty projects are not included on the chain as there was insufficient information available about their impact this year.

Attributable biodiversity

recovery

No response from

awareness raising work

01512 1915 0

I M PAC T C h A I N Changed attitudes/increasing support for conservation

Increased awareness or engagement

Changed behaviour/reduced threats



innovative awareness-raising in guinea“Outreach activities in and around Ziama have included environmental education sessions, a public games session, a celebration of World Elephant Day and soccer matches between the park rangers and the communities. These events were greatly appreciated by the target audience and, according to the analysis of the reports, field visits and interviews, there has been a marked improvement in collaboration between the Ziama management and the communities, greater knowledge of the importance of wildlife and the forest, greater awareness of the impact of the use of herbicides and increased knowledge of herbs and plants for producing biopesticides as an alternative, as well as a change in attitude and behaviour towards the forest.”

Building pride in Anguilla’s endangered species “The Anguilla National Trust uses a range of methods as part of its efforts towards national public education and outreach. In 2019 these included articles and updates shared via the national newspaper (The Anguillian), Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, the development and circulation of an endangered species information pamphlet, and school classes and after-school club events. Since this project was launched, members of the public have already come forward to help in various ways, such as reporting sightings, welcoming the team on their land to conduct surveys and relocate threatened plants, and even bringing rescued lizards to our partner’s office. Partner staff who had previously been very nervous of snakes have now warmed to the Anguilla Bank racers and are now enthusiastically teaching children and adults not to be afraid of racers and why they are an important part of the ecosystem. At the end of 2019, this project also gained attention when we nominated a local fisherman, Stanley Rogers, for a Disney Conservation Hero Award for his efforts to save Little Scrub ground lizards, one of our target species that is critically endangered by sea-level rise and increasing hurricanes. News of his award was widely broadcast around Anguilla through the media and social media, bringing attention to this rare species, the impacts of climate change, and the difference that one person can make.”

Juvenile chimpanzee, Guinea. Credit: Jerem

y Holden/FFI

Credit: Jenny Daltry/FFI


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Our latest five-year strategy places an increased emphasis on raising FFI’s public profile in order to grow our influence, impact and income.

To build a solid launchpad for growing our profile we actively strengthened our communications team and improved our materials. Specifically, we recruited a social media specialist to drive growth and engagement on those platforms, we revitalised our membership publications to bring them up to date with current best practice and inject them with a personality that reflects our organisational ambitions and we synchronised FFI’s website with our fundraising database to create a more seamless user experience for supporters wishing to donate online, and to provide them with more control and ways to stay in touch.

As a result of our investments into communications this year:

• We reached over three million people through our social media channels.

• We saw an 18% year-on-year rise in visitors to our website 444,000 in 2019.

• We secured significant media coverage around key FFI programme activities and news stories, including national newspaper articles, online publications, radio broadcasts and TV interviews; for example, the plastic pollution report No Time to Waste (see page 37) was covered by major publications including a front-page article in The Daily Telegraph featuring FFI vice-president Sir David Attenborough and coverage on Sky News. The potential reach of this coverage is estimated at over 100 million people.

• The income generated directly by our membership publications rose significantly. The redesigned annual magazine raised £28,070, six times the previous year, while the three issues of Update cumulatively raised an additional £59,000.

A M B I T I O N 5

Increasing visibility

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FFI’s staff are the lifeblood of the organisation, and we work to ensure we have a motivated, talented, committed and secure workforce who are collectively achieving even greater conservation impact.

In 2019 we worked to actively engage our staff in understanding their needs, priorities and perspectives on FFI values through organisation-wide consultations and surveys.

Based on the responses to these:

• We adopted a new set of global values that characterise and promote a ‘One FFI’ culture. These interconnected and interdependent values embody how we work together and interact with others, help to differentiate FFI as an organisation, and ensure that we are all working effectively towards a common purpose.

• At least 100 staff have received targeted training on issues identified as priorities for their professional development. This was supported through 31 internal training events and three bespoke training programme for regional teams as well as external training opportunities provided to 40 staff.

A m B i T i O n 6

Investing in our people

Credit: Matt Glue/FFI

Credit: Kate West/FFI

Credit: Rob Harris/FFI

Credit: Rob Harris/FFICredit: Gurveena Ghataure/FFI

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Ensuring diverse and resilient income streams to support our ambitious growth plans is central to FFI’s success. We continually strive to ensure that the funding we have available matches the scale of the conservation we want to deliver.

In 2019, our priorities included securing a higher proportion of unrestricted funds, growing income from individuals, trusts and foundations and statutory sources, expanding our international donor base, and maintaining a pipeline of resources to our major long-term projects. We developed the necessary systems to accept and process international donations, widened our lead generation activity to include the USA, continued to invest in relationship building across our donor base and expanded our statutory funding team.

As a result of these efforts:

• We increased the proportion of unrestricted funds to 20% of income.• This year twelve new members joined our Conservation Circle – an international group of

committed major donors, who themselves help us to increase our network, influence and funding - an annual growth of 22%.

• With an 11% growth in 2019, we now maintain an impressive network of 150 trusts and foundations across Europe.

• We added 32,000 new US subscribers to our expanding e-news subscriber base.• Funding secured from US trusts and foundations through our US entity increased by 700% from

2018 to 2019. • Funding from government and multilateral sources grew by approximately 50%, reflecting FFI’s

expanding portfolio of projects and the availability of new multilateral funding streams, as well as our expanded capacity to support such approaches

• We met our year-end target to have at least seven months core operating costs (excluding any one-off investments) in our reserves, which enabled us to release a significantly increased level of funding (total US$3.4 million) towards our Halcyon Land & Sea and Marine Programmes.

A M B I T I O N 7

Securing the resources we need

Masked booby, Redonda. Credit: Jerem

y Holden/FFI.


C O N S E R VAT I O N R E P O R T 2 0 1 9C O N S E R VAT I O N R E P O R T 2 0 1 9

We take every opportunity to learn from the work that we undertake within our projects, underpinning conservation decision-making with the best information available, whether generated through our own work or that of others. Where appropriate, we disseminate this information more widely, to allow others to benefit from our experiences.

In 2019:• At least 400 surveys or other studies were carried out across 91

different projects.• As a result of our research, 59 articles were published in peer-

reviewed journals and 71 in grey literature.• At least 56 projects were able to describe how their research had

been used to influence wider policy and decision-making processes and 44 projects reported how they had used such information to refine their conservation planning.

• Through our scientific journal Oryx:

• We have helped to disseminate research through 86 peer-reviewed articles published in volume 53 of 2019. There were over 344,260 full-text downloads of Oryx articles, an increase of 74% compared to 2018, and more than 572,470 views of abstracts online.

• Oryx’s freely available Writing for Conservation guide, which helps authors to improve their scientific writing, present their data and produce publication-quality figures, was visited by almost 9,000 users.

• We significantly increased the journal’s outreach, with our social media following increasing by 12% and 22% on Facebook and Twitter respectively. Our newly launched blog received over 1,000 page views.

Jaguar, Belize. Credit: Fabienne Lefeuvre/Ya’axche Conservation Trust

Research and dissemination

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Lessons learned and looking forward

This report summarises the breadth of conservation action we have taken in 2019, based on annual project reports sent through by our dedicated and skilled project leaders across our regional and cross-cutting teams. Although space does not allow us to delve into every story from our projects, each report we receive provides an insight into what makes our projects work, but also the realities and challenges of conservation, be they working in difficult local conditions, maintaining relationships with different partners or working to drive change with policymakers and businesses.

L e S S O N S f r O m O u r C O L L e A g u e S

We asked our project managers why they felt their projects had been successful over the last year. Over 100 projects responded, often citing multiple reasons. However, common themes10 underpinning success from across our portfolio include:

10. This analysis is undertaken each year based on the data provided by FFI project teams, i.e. the underlying data in the reports allows themes to be identified each year; these tend to be relatively consistent year to year. All themes reported from more than five projects are included.

W O r k i N g i N P A r t N e r S h i P APPLiCAtiON Of SPeCiALiSt teChNiCAL SkiLLS Or kNOWLeDge

m O t i VAt i O N A N D D e D i C At i O N O f P r O j e C t t e A m S L O C A L O W N e r S h i P A N D k N O W L e D g e

C O L L A b O r At i V e A P P r O A C h b u i L D i N g O N e x P e r i e N C e

P O S i t i V e C O m m u N i t y e N g A g e m e N t A N D S u P P O r t e m b e D D i N g C A P A C i t y

b u i L D i N g u P O N g O O D D AtA A N D r e S e A r C h e f f e C t i V e C O m m u N i C At i O N S

S t r O N g P L A N N i N g A N D D e S i g N L o n g -t e r m c o m m i t m e n t

g O V e r N m e N t P A r t N e r S h i P A N D e N g A g e m e N t S h A r e D VA L u e S A N D t r u S t

36 15

28 15

24 12

24 12

17 12

17 9

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Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, Vietnam

. Credit: Le Khac Quyet/FFI

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We also asked our project managers what challenges they had faced while delivering their work during 2019. Having these critical insights into the problems that our projects face allows us to address key issues, especially internal factors that are within our control, and provides the opportunity to improve our operations and further enable our projects to run effectively to deliver benefits to biodiversity.

Challenges in delivery were reported in over 90 projects. There was a significant variation in the types and severity of problems encountered – both external issues and factors internal to FFI.

Encouragingly, 70 projects who reported issues suggested things to do differently in the future to avoid similar problems, both demonstrating how we are responding to these challenges and identifying what more we can do to adapt.

Around 70% of project leaders who reported problems in delivering their work cited external factors. These were extremely varied and specific to the local situation, but the most significant broad themes included (unforeseen in each case):• Issues with policy environments, government engagements or political

instability.• Complicated relationships with partners or project stakeholders.• Difficulties from communications between project stakeholders (including

ensuring all voices are heard equally).

Other factors mentioned included challenges with the management of donor requirements, problematic community engagement, technological issues, and funding and resource constraints within partners.

Internal FFI issues were cited as a challenge in over 50% of projects that reported problems in delivery. Internal factors were less varied, with two main issues reported:• Funding and resource constraints.• Changes to staff.

Tonkin snub-nosed monkey, Vietnam

. Credit: Le Khac Quyet/FFI

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These have been consistent challenges for a number of years, as for most others in the sector, and are not easily resolved. There is a huge body of work to be done, and the availability of funds inevitably places a constraint on the scale of work we would want to deliver. Also, given the skills and expertise of our staff base, the loss of a key team member will always cause disruption, however much we plan for it. Other factors mentioned included the need to adjust or improve project strategies or plans more frequently, and the recent adoption of more time-intense FFI systems and ongoing challenges of internal communications across a growing and dispersed organisation.

Project staff have identified ways to mitigate both external and internal project difficulties in future and suggested how these might be more embedded into existing project plans. In some cases, teams also explained how they had adapted their project (and in some instances their underpinning project logic) to account for better understanding of threats to biodiversity, changed partner relationships and emerging political opportunities and demonstrated adaptive project management in action. Examples of projects learning from one another to improve the efficacy of their work were also in evidence.

L e A r N i N g f r O m O u r W O r kThese quotes, taken from project reports, provide an insight into the lessons we learn in the course of our work and, where applicable, how we respond to – and learn from – the challenges we face in our projects:

Long-term support enables effective conservation in Anguilla Farah Mukhida, Executive Director of Anguilla National Trust, reflected on how FFI’s support has helped conservation efforts in Anguilla: “With help from our members and partners, particularly FFI, we’ve found ways to advance nature conservation in Anguilla. In the last three years alone, for example, we have restored two offshore islands [the Prickly Pear Cays] by removing invasive alien species, reintroduced critically endangered Lesser Antillean iguanas and, just this year, we secured an island-wide ban on single-use plastic shopping bags, plastic utensils and Styrofoam. As the only caretakers of this beautiful little piece of paradise, the responsibility sometimes feels overwhelming; it’s good to know that we’re not in this alone. So we’re truly grateful to FFI – our oldest partner – for not only supporting the work that we do but also for believing in our ability and potential to make a real and positive difference.”

communications and flexibility prove critical “A key lesson we learned concerns the barriers to certain stakeholder groups taking the lead in workshops and forums; for example it was not easy to change the balance between voices to ensure less powerful groups were heard, due to both habitual behaviour and cultural norms. More work is needed to build the confidence of co-managers and to encourage the authorities to allow more space for less vocal stakeholders. Linked to the above, the project design should be more flexible and adaptive; some of the more successful elements of work were things we hadn’t necessarily thought of. In the future, it would be better to have a more organic, less prescriptive approach.”

Credit: FFI

Credit: Maxim

iliano CaalYaaxche

Male lesser Antillean bullfinch. Credit: Jerem

y Holden/FFI

A word of thanksConservation success is ultimately all about delivering lasting impact on the ground, but that can be notoriously hard to measure, particularly in the early stages. FFI is acutely aware of those difficulties, hence our determination not only to develop increasingly meaningful methods of assessing impact, but also to compile evidence of positive progress along the way in the shape of key milestones that signpost our journey down the road to our ultimate project goals. We will continue to refine those tools and techniques, to learn from setbacks as well as successes, and to hone our adaptive management skills as we seek to scale up our impact across the globe.

None of the achievements recorded in this report would be possible without the tenacity and dedication of a great many people, and we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all our staff – in particular our project teams – who help to make it all happen. That same tenacity will stand us in good stead going forward, as we seek to tackle the challenging and increasingly interlinked drivers of biodiversity loss.

joanna elliott, Senior Director, Conservation Partnerships

If you would like more details about any of the information presented in this report, please contact Katie lee-Brooks ([email protected])


Annex 1: Priority Species 2019

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C O M M O N N A M E l AT I N N A M E I u C N S TAT u SM A M M A l SGrey wolf Canis lupus LCWhite rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum NTPygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis ENSumatran rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis CRBlack rhinoceros Diceros bicornis CRAsian elephant Elephas maximus ENSumatran elephant Elephas maximus sumatranus CRMountain gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei ENGrauer’s gorilla Gorilla beringei graueri CRWestern hoolock gibbon Hoolock hoolock ENAfrican savannah elephant Loxodonta africana VUAfrican forest elephant Loxodonta cyclotis VUIberian lynx Lynx pardinus ENSunda pangolin Manis javanica CRNorthern yellow-cheeked gibbon Nomascus annamensis ENWestern black crested gibbon Nomascus concolor CRNorthern white-cheeked gibbon Nomascus leucogenys CRCao vit gibbon Nomascus nasutus CREastern chimpanzee Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii ENWestern chimpanzee Pan troglodytes verus CRIndochinese tiger Panthera tigris corbetti ENSumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae CRBlack-bellied pangolin Phataginus tetradactyla VUWhite-bellied pangolin Phataginus tricuspis ENSouthwest Bornean orang-utan Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii CRGrey-shanked douc langur Pygathrix cinerea CRTonkin snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus avunculus CRMyanmar snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus strykeri CR

C O M M O N N A M E l AT I N N A M E I u C N S TAT u SSaiga antelope Saiga tatarica CRGiant pangolin Smutsia gigantea ENDelacour’s langur Trachypithecus delacouri CRCat Ba langur Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus CRBrown bear Ursus arctos LCB I R d SBlack vulture Aegypius monachus NTYellow-naped parrot Amazona auropalliata ENSaker falcon Falco cherrug ENGurney’s pitta Hydrornis gurneyi CRPríncipe thrush Turdus xanthorhynchus CRI N V E R T E B R AT E SObô snail Archachatina bicarinata VUGiri Putri cave crab Karstama balicum CRGiri Putri cave crab Karstama emdi CRF I S hRussian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii CRShip sturgeon Acipenser nudiventris CRColchic sturgeon Acipenser (persicus) colchicus CREuropean sturgeon Acipenser sturio CRStellate sturgeon Acipenser stellatus CRBeluga Huso huso CRR E P T I l E SAntiguan racer Alsophis antiguae CRAnguilla Bank racer Alsophis rijgersmaei ENSaint Lucia fer de lance Bothrops caribbaeus EN Saint Lucia whiptail Cnemidophorus vanzoi CRSiamese crocodile Crocodylus siamensis CRLeatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea VU


Annex 1: Priority Species 2019

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C O M M O N N A M E l AT I N N A M E I u C N S TAT u SHawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricate CRSaint Lucia racer Erythrolamprus ornatus CRUnion Island gecko Gonatodes daudini CRLesser Antillean iguana Iguana delicatissima CRGrenadines pink rhino iguana Iguana insularis insularis NESaint Lucia iguana Iguana insularis sanctaluciae NESombrero ground lizard Pholidoscelis corvinus CRBarbados leaf-toed gecko Phyllodactylus pulcher CRAnguilla Bank skink Spondylurus powelli ENP l A N T S- Acacia roigii CRGrandidier’s baobab Adansonia grandidieri ENPerrier’s baobab Adansonia perrieri CRDiego’s baobab Adansonia suarezensis EN- Burretiodendron hsienmu VU- Butia eriospatha VU- Colletia paradoxa NEKnorring's hawthorn Crataegus knorringiana CR- Curitiba prismatica NEHonduran rosewood Dalbergia stevensonii NE - Dipterocarpus littoralis CRDragon tree Dracaena draco caboverdeana VUBornean ironwood Eusideroxylon zwageri VULignum vitae Guiaicum officinale ENPencil cedar Juniperus barbadensis var barbadensis CR- Magnolia citrata LC- Magnolia grandis CRMedang jeumpa Magnolia montana DDNiedzwetzky's apple Malus niedzwetzkyana EN

C O M M O N N A M E l AT I N N A M E I u C N S TAT u S- Myrcianthes gigantea NE- Ocotea odorifera VUDeath tree Okoubaka aubrevillei ENPhoenix fig tree Phoenix atlantica ENLansan Protium attenuatum DDBukharan pear Pyrus korshinskyi CRTajik pear Pyrus tadshikistanica CRTurkmen pear Pyrus turcomanica NEIron tree Sideroxylon marginata NE- Trithrinax acanthocoma NE

P R I O R I T y S P E C I E SPriority species are those species that are the main focus of the FFI project in which they feature. This can be for a particular population of the species or, in some cases, for the entire global population.

Secondary species are those species that are not the main focus of the FFI project in which they feature, but which we monitor, and on which we predict that the project will have a demonstrable impact. This can be for a particular population of the species or, in some cases, for the entire global population.

iuCn red list classifications

For more information visit www.iucnredlist.org

LCLeast

Concern

NTNear

Threatened

VUVulnerable

ENEndangered

CRCritically

Endangered

DDData

Deficient

NENot

Evaluated

http://www.iucnredlist.org


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Annex 2: Project report quotes


P r O t e C t i N g N i C A r A g u A ’ S t u r t L e P O P u L At i O N S


“The protection of nests and production of hatchlings, alongside work to reduce the impact of fisheries on adult turtles at sea, are the most important strategies that can be undertaken to recover marine turtle populations in the eastern Pacific. Our programme focuses on the most important sites for hawksbills and leatherbacks on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. Our monitoring programme provides evidence that a significant proportion of Nicaragua’s sea turtles and their nests are now protected, in places where otherwise 100% of these eggs would be poached. In 2019, FFI-supported community patrol teams protected 202 hawksbill nests (98.6 % of all recorded nests) and nine leatherback nests (100% of all recorded nests) across five priority nesting sites, resulting in the successful release of 15,966 hawksbill hatchlings and 131 leatherback hatchlings to the sea.”

S u P P O r t i N g t h e C O N S e r VAt i O N O f t h e S i A m e S e C r O C O D i L e


“We continue to support a network of 31 community wardens across five sites to conduct weekly patrols and to run the Siamese crocodile captive breeding programme at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre. Since 2009, FFI has released a total of 111 juvenile and head-started crocodiles to boost fragmented wild populations. Across our sites the population of crocodiles appears stable, and data from one site indicates a growing population, with a high percentage of sub-adults and/or young adults, as would be expected from the release of young individuals by the project. There is also evidence the crocodiles at this site are breeding.”

Credit: Bianca Roberts/FFI

Credit: Alam Ram

írez/FFI


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N e W S i g h t i N g S O f t h e C r i t i C A L Ly e n d A n g e r e d n o r t h e r n w h i t e -C h e e k e D g i b b O N i N V i e t N A m


“This year the project set up a new gibbon monitoring system and undertook the first gibbon survey since 2011. Excitingly, this trip confirmed a new distribution of the gibbon in an area previously not thought to be home to the species. Furthermore, the number of groups and individuals demonstrate the area to be of significant importance to the gibbon population and a stronghold for the species.”

h e L P i N g t O S u P P O r t t h e r e C O V e r y O f t h e m e D i t e r r A N e A N m O N k S e A L i N t u r k e y


“Following the first ever record of a seal pup in the project area last year, caves throughout the project area were surveyed for suitability for Mediterranean monk seal habitats and camera traps installed in a number of these. The construction of a man-made dry-ledge to encourage seal breeding was also completed within a suitable cave in Gökova Bay. Seal activity was seen in five of the caves monitored within the project area, and five females, one juvenile and one pup have been recorded. In August, two further seals, a male and a female, were seen feeding outside the caves.”

Credit: Dr Fan Pengfei/Dali University/FFI

Credit: FFI

Credit: Zafer Kizilkaya

r e L O C At i N g r e P t i L e S i N t h e C A r i b b e A N


“Almost the entire national population of Lesser Antillean iguanas has now been translocated to Prickly Pear East. Here they are significantly more secure from the invasive alien green iguanas (Iguana iguana) that are taking over mainland Anguilla, as well as the cats, dogs, cars and other threats that face them on the mainland. This has significantly boosted the chance of this critically endangered species surviving on Anguillan soil. Population modelling shows that this species would have otherwise become extinct on Anguilla within 10 years.”


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L o n g -t e r m s u p p o r t f o r c r i t i c A L c o n s e r vAt i o n i N b e L i z e

Working in partnership

“Ya’axché is now recognised as a strong national non-governmental organisation that has proven its role as a key actor for conservation in Belize and is moving in the right direction towards achieving organisational and financial sustainability. Ya’axché has a well-established biodiversity monitoring programme to observe changes in the environment and to track the effect of unsustainable human activities, in order to inform their conservation actions across the Maya Golden Landscape. Christina Garcia, Ya’axché’s Executive Director and the driving force behind the institution’s continuing development, says: ‘Ya’axché has been extremely fortunate to have a partner such as FFI. Ya’axché was granted numerous opportunities over the years to build the capacity of staff through training in proposal development, strategic planning and the Conservation Leadership Programme. This has led Ya’axché to grow even bigger and become more competent in its strides to accomplish its conservation goals and objectives in the Maya Golden Landscape and wider Belize. The assistance FFI has given Ya’axché has allowed us to grow in strength, resilience, influence and impact, leading us to now being considered the most successful NGO in Belize’.”

C O m m u N i t y r e P r e S e N tAt i O N i N P r O t e C t e D A r e A P L A N N i N g i N V i e t N A m


“The second round of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) meetings was completed in 10 target villages. FPIC is a specific right that pertains to indigenous peoples allowing them to give or withhold consent to a project that may affect them or their territories and enabling them to negotiate the conditions under which the project will be designed, implemented, monitored and evaluated. The meetings undertaken in this round also included participatory resource-use mapping. As a result of these meetings members of the target villages can now influence the protected area gazettement process and determine if they will participate; 100% of those involved in the meetings are reported to have agreed with the development of the protected area (up from 94% in 2018). The participatory mapping identified areas which are used for extracting timber to build traditional housing and as a result the boundaries of the proposed protected area have been adjusted to reflect this.”

Credit: Sun Xiaodong/WildChina/FFI

Credit: Maxim

iliano Caal/Ya’axche Conservation Trust


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e N A b L i N g C O m m u N i t y P A r t i C i P At i O N i N h O N D u r A S


“Participation of all seascape stakeholders in decision-making processes has significantly improved over the course of the project, and more specifically in the last year. In the final baseline survey, fishers from the seascape’s communities say that their influence on decision making in the marine environment has improved. In addition, community participation in various events of the seascape has increased over time and has been high during 2019, with close to 80 people participating in the 2019 forum of the seascape in comparison with 47 people in August 2018. This is also true for the Seascape Committee, where members’ participation has been increasing since the first official meeting. This can be explained by the increased ownership of the project, as their area and their ‘Paisaje Marino’.”

C h A N g i N g L O C A L P e r C e P t i O N S A b O u t t h e VA L u e O f tA j i k i S tA N ’ S f O r e S t S


“Work carried out from 2017 to 2019 to improve local livelihoods, coupled with training activities and awareness-raising activities, is definitely increasing support for biodiversity conservation among local people in each reserve. The team has been visiting the sites for many years and has observed a fundamental shift in attitudes towards the forest, seen initially as something to satisfy short-term needs and now as an important long-term resource. Some specific examples include the fact that people are using loans to invest in protecting and replanting their own forest plots and the fact that more and more people are asking for support to protect pear trees on their land. Even when FFI cannot provide direct support, there is an increasing number of people who seem to be taking their own initiative to protect areas of forest under their management. Attaching some economic value to the forest seems to have contributed to this shift in attitudes.”

Credit: FFI

Credit: Dan Steadman/FFI


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r o d r i g o c o s tA A r A ú j o - c o n s e r vAt i o n L e A D e r S h i P P r O g r A m m e g r A N t e e


During 2019 a new species of marmoset, Mico munduruku, was discovered in the southwest of Pará State in Brazil by a team led by Rodrigo Costa Araújo, who was funded by the Conservation Leadership Programme to undertake research in this region. “The Conservation Leadership Programme contribution was absolutely decisive in the more important dimensions of the discovery; it funded expeditions in the region where we discovered the new species and in other sites which allowed me to gather data not only on Mico munduruku but also on other species.” However, deforestation in the Amazon has accelerated markedly in 2019 (compounded further by forest fires) and in addition to logging and agricultural expansion, four hydroelectric power plants have been approved for construction that will encroach on the monkey’s habitat. “Just as we have discovered this species, we already need to be concerned about its survival,” Rodrigo says. However, it is hoped that the discovery “can be especially useful to pause or rethink the ongoing studies for the construction of the four hydroelectric plants over the range of the new species” and might contribute to biodiversity conservation in this region.

A n k e s A L z m A n n – w h i t b r e A d s c h o L A r 2 0 1 5 - 1 6


“The Masters in Conservation Leadership gave me a systemic view, which is crucial when working with nature conservation.”

Since graduating in 2016, Anke has utilised the skills and experiences developed on the MPhil course on a number of projects. These include: the management of a multi-sectoral platform to promote productive sustainable landscapes in the Brazilian savannah; the development and implementation of the “Viva Agua”, a movement that aims to promote water security through conservation actions in the Miringuava River watershed; and structuring of a programme on the northern coast of Parana State to enable the development of entrepreneurship with positive impact on nature conservation.

Credit: JeremeyHoldenFFI

Credit: Stephen Nash


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s u e A n d r e y c e d r o o n g - c o n s e r vAt i o n L e A d e r s h i p P r O g r A m m e i N t e r N f u N D e D b y S e g r é


During her internship, Sue contributed to FFI’s long-term goals in Myanmar by providing technical support to sea turtle practitioners undertaking field surveys. Her activities involved helping develop FFI’s sea turtle monitoring and conservation plan in Myanmar by building a national database on sea turtle nesting, attending sea turtle technical working groups, organising sea turtle training workshops and developing educational materials. Through creating an updated version of Myanmar’s sea turtle database for storing historical and ongoing nesting data, Sue’s internship has contributed to the development of a national plan of action (NPOA) for sea turtles in Myanmar. Sue hopes to use the skills she developed on her internship by continuing work for a national conservation organisation, assisting with the development and resourcing of programmes.

S u P P O r t i N g D e V e L O P i N g C O N S e r VAt i O N i S t S t O D e L i V e r P r O t e C t i O N f O r C r i t i C A L b i r D h A b i tAt i N C h i N A


In 2015, a team of young conservationists in China was supported through a grant from the Conservation Leadership Programme to investigate the primary moult schedule and diet composition of spoon-billed sandpiper and Nordmann’s greenshank. The results provided the first quantitative evidence that intertidal mudflats in southern Jiangsu province are a crucial moulting ground for these two endangered species and reinforced the importance of this area in meeting shorebirds’ energetic needs as they complete their long, treacherous migration journey (sometimes covering up to 9,000 km). The data gathered not only helped develop critical skills in these conservationists, but in 2019 the results of this work helped see their project site inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of a designation covering the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf.

Spoon-billed sandpiper. Credit: Tengyi CHEN

Hawksbill turtle, Myanm

ar. Credit: Gurveena Ghataure/FFI


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L i N k i N g k e y L A N D S C A P e S i N W e S t A f r i C A P r O V i D e S N e W C O N S e r VAt i O N O P P O r t u N i t i e S

Supporting governments to protect biodiversity

“A key outcome this year was the workshop for the signing of the Bilateral Cooperation Agreement and the Operational Memorandum of Understanding on cross-border management of the Ziama-Wonegizi-Wologizi Forest Landscape (ZWW) between Guinea and Liberia. It involved a number of stakeholders including local, national and regional authorities, communities, diplomatic bodies and NGOs. The signing provided an opportunity to inform participants on the values of biodiversity in the landscape, and to engender support for the creation of an environment which promotes forest governance and law enforcement within this landscape. Planning has already begun for joint cross-border patrols between Liberia and Guinea.”

C O m m u N i t i e S C O m m i t t e D t O P r O t e C t i N g S A P O N At i O N A L P A r k , L i b e r i A

Awareness, education and outreach

“Although behaviour change takes time and this can make it difficult to point to widespread changes as a result of our awareness-raising activities, we can point to anecdotal evidence that these activities are leading to behaviour change. For example, members of the community informed the Forest Development Authority of an attempt by miners to start operations in the buffer zone of the park. This action is particularly impressive when one considers that the member of the community that made the call travelled more than three hours to get to an area with cell phone coverage.”




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P r O m O t i N g S m A r t e r W Ay S t O m i N e i N f O r e S t e C O S y S t e m S

Embedding biodiversity in private-sector decision making

“During 2019 FFI, along with Levin Sources and Swedish Geological, launched a series of reports on Forest Smart Mining. These reports were derived from the findings of 52 case studies undertaken across 26 countries to understand the impact of mining on deforestation, current practices to protect forests in mining areas and how ‘forest-smart’ mining policies, practices and partnerships can be scaled up and accelerated. Included in the report were a series of recommendations for the World Bank, corporates, lenders and governments, including new or strengthened standards, commodity-based voluntary certification and assurance and environmental and social safeguards of development banks. The report pulls together the best-available approaches and recommends additional aspects and actions and focal areas for integrated forest management and sustainable development. It identifies a clear path forward to ensure the impacts of mining in forest ecosystems are minimised in these critical habitats. The World Bank has demonstrated leadership through adopting this approach internally, and through promoting Forest Smart Mining more broadly to governments and businesses.”


Brown booby, Redonda. Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI

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