Carbon Balanced Paper’s relationship with World Land Trust (WLT) is instrumental in decreasing carbon emissions globally, restoring habitats, and helping companies achieve sustainability goals while reducing their environmental footprint. The work that World Land Trust does is vital to the longevity and success of our most precious natural ecosystems - and their annual reports provide a thorough overview of the exceptional work they’ve been doing over the past year.

The most recent Impact Report reveals a year of significant achievements, strategic growth, and unwavering commitment to the preservation of some of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems.

Expanding Conservation Reach: New Partners and Projects
One of the standout aspects of WLT's work is the expansion of its global conservation network. The Trust welcomed five new partners, bringing the total number of active conservation partners to 52. These new alliances have extended WLT’s reach into critical habitats across the globe, including Brazil, Argentina, Madagascar, South Africa, and Pakistan.

Among the new partners, the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust in South Africa secured a landmark 497-hectare property, safeguarding one of the world’s rarest and most threatened habitats. This achievement was a culmination of 16 years of negotiations and was made possible through WLT’s Buy an Acre program, which funded 150 hectares of this vital land purchase. In Madagascar, the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Madagascar Program expanded the Ankarabolava-Agnakatrika forest by securing 200 hectares, home to over 50 threatened species, including the critically endangered White-Collared Lemur. These successes underscore WLT's strategic focus on securing and restoring priority habitats, a cornerstone of its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan.

Achievements in Land Conservation and Habitat Connectivity
WLT’s conservation efforts resulted in the protection of 152,205 hectares of priority land, nearly half of which was solely funded by WLT. Although the Trust fell just short of its ambitious target, the report highlights the ongoing challenges in land acquisition (which often involve complex legal and logistical processes). However, WLT remains confident of achieving its 2025 target of protecting 1,000,000 hectares of priority land.

Another notable achievement was the creation of three critical corridors within WLT-supported reserves. These corridors, located in Ecuador and Kenya, are crucial for connecting fragmented habitats and ensuring the long-term survival of species that depend on large, contiguous areas of wilderness. The Canandé project in Ecuador, for example, now links partner properties with the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, enhancing habitat connectivity in one of the world's most biodiverse regions.

Biodiversity and Forest Conservation Successes
WLT’s impact extends beyond land acquisition and financial growth; the Trust also made significant strides in biodiversity and forest conservation. The report highlights that 1,368 new species were recorded within WLT-supported project areas, 22 of which are globally threatened. This discovery underscores the importance of WLT's work in protecting critical habitats that harbor immense biodiversity.

In terms of forest conservation, WLT’s projects maintained a forest loss rate of -0.17%, well below the target of -0.35%. This achievement is particularly significant given the ongoing global deforestation crisis. The Trust’s efforts in protecting forests within its reserves have proven to be highly effective, with forest loss rates within WLT-backed projects being substantially lower than in surrounding areas.

Empowering Local Communities and Protecting Wildlife
A key component of WLT's conservation strategy is its commitment to empowering local communities and protecting wildlife through initiatives like the Keepers of the Wild Program. This program supported 80 rangers across 16 countries, providing them with the resources they need to protect endangered species and habitats. These rangers are the frontline defenders of conservation, working tirelessly to monitor and safeguard reserves.

For example, in Argentina's La Esperanza Wildlife Refuge, rangers patrolled the refuge, monitoring 81 different species of animals, including 5 species of shorebirds and 17 species of seabirds. This hands-on approach to conservation ensures that the areas protected by WLT are not only preserved but actively managed to maintain and enhance their ecological value.

Looking Ahead: A Future of Hope and Determination
As WLT enters the final years of its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, there is a clear indication that the Trust is on track to meet its ambitious goals. Despite the challenges posed by global environmental and political crises, WLT’s unwavering commitment to conservation, coupled with the generous support of its donors, continues to drive meaningful change.

As we look to the future, WLT's work serves as a powerful reminder that - with the right support, collaboration, and strategy - we can make significant strides in protecting our planet's most precious natural resources. You can read the full Impact Report linked throughout this article, or here.
For more about World Land Trust, go to https://www.worldlandtrust.org/. 

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