Spanish

Dear friends and colleagues,

Month by month, the work of our offices continues to build science and to generate actions for conservation. We are at the gates of major key events for the health of nature and we must continue to prepare. The race is on for a nature positive future by 2030.

In the Forests Practice, a new study supported by WWF-Bolivia will promote the work of prevention and management of future forest fires. WWF-Mexico, on the other hand, launched a campaign on social media to reestablish a positive bond with the environment.

With regards to Wildlife, in Colombia, the 2021 Picachos Expedition took place, being an unprecedented exploration together with scientists, communities and former guerrilla combatants in a protected area that remained unexplored due to the armed conflict. Meanwhile, WWF-Paraguay helped the jaguar to make an appearance in the city with the help of artists who created murals, aimed at raising awareness about the situation of this species and the importance of their conservation.

In the Markets Practice, WWF-Ecuador and other partners presented twenty-two small shrimp farms that participated in a Fisheries Improvement Program and are ready to receive the ASC certification.

Concerning Governance, WWF-Brazil was part of the sponsors of SOS Hijas del Pantanal, a project led by women who helped communities affected by fires. On another note, WWF-Ecuador published the Youth Manifesto for the Country’s Sustainable Future. Additionally, WWF-Chile made a call to redouble efforts to approve the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service.

Lastly, in Education, WWF-Peru and other institutions conducted a course to train teachers on marine-coastal ecosystems, in order to design and implement environmental educational projects. Finally, Fundación Vida Silvestre joined Wikimedia Argentina to expand and improve knowledge about the country's biodiversity.

Enjoy this new edition,

Roberto Troya

Vice president & Regional Director

WWF-LAC

Technology is boosting efforts to stop environmental crimes in Acre

After receiving drones, high-capacity computers and training from WWF-Brazil, the Environmental Policing Battalion of the State of Acre (BPA-AC) improved its actions and passed on the knowledge to the Fire Brigade and the Public Ministry, which also received equipment donations. The BPA-AC has already trained 39 people in drone piloting and, from September 2020 to May 2021, 82 actions has carried out using the equipment, including monitoring the Alto Tarauacá Indigenous Land and surveillance missions on conservation units and areas impacted by invasions, illegal deforestation, and fire. Several arrests of environmental criminals were made.

Mexico launches campaign to spread awareness on the link between nature and human well-being

The German Cooperation for Sustainable Development (GIZ) and WWF Mexico urge society to join the One Health awareness campaign and reestablish a positive bond with the environment. Under the concept that if nature heals humans heal, the campaign calls on the population, through the hashtag #SanaSana, to reflect on the benefits that humans obtain from the environment, such as clean air, food , water, temperature regulation and recreation, as well as to understand the meaning of conserving forests, rivers, jungles, lakes and mountains and, in this way, their own health.

2021 Picachos Expedition: an unprecedented exploration

In April we carried out the 2021 Picachos Expedition, an exploration of the biodiversity in the Cordillera de los Picachos National Natural Park, a protected area that was a scientific enigma for several decades due to the Colombian armed conflict. In this visit, in which neighboring communities, ex-combatants from the Farc guerrilla group, biologists from La Palmita Foundation and National Parks participated, the most complete taxonomic inventory in the history of the Park was made: about 248 species of plants were registered, 376 of them butterflies, 26 from amphibians, 10 from reptiles, 275 from birds, 30 from medium and large mammals, and 36 from bats. In addition, a new plant species was found for science: a Philodendron, from the anthurium family, and a new plant record was made for Colombia: the Solanum amnicola, from the tomato family. This exploration was possible thanks to the Protected Areas and Peace project, executed by WWF Colombia and supported by the International Climate Initiative of the Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany.

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The Jaguareté visited the city

WWF created 5 murals created 5 murals together with the artists Lucas We and Rolo Ocampos, as a part of the Paraguay Mas Jaguareté campaign. The designs represent different moments for the jaguar, from their current situation, in which they are under many threats and their habitat is deteriorating; up to an ideal context with its recovered habitat where it lives surrounded by the biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest and in harmony with humans after meeting the project’s objective. The murals are located in the country’s Central department with the aim of bringing the feline to the city, raise awareness on people about their situation and inviting them to join the cause through social networks, using an Instagram filter called “roar-o-meter”.

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Twenty-two small shrimp farms in Ecuador will receive the ASC certification

Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) presented the twenty-two farms that participated in SSP Improvement Program and worked towards achieving the Aquaculture Stewardship Council standard requirements to demonstrate a higher environmental and social performance. 

The farmers were trained in environmental and legal requirements in Ecuador, good aquaculture practices and requirements for ASC; and received pre-audits to determine the adoption of improvement recommendations.

WWF-Ecuador launched its Youth Manifesto for a Sustainable Future

More than 1,350 young people from all over the country were part of the participatory construction of a citizen youth manifesto, which already has the support of 1,100 additional people, who through their signature, have adhere and supported the requests of Ecuadorian youth. The manifesto highlights necessary actions to be taken by the State, private companies, and citizens in general, to ensure a sustainable future for Ecuador.

Women-led project helped communities affected by fire

In partnership with the ICV (Instituto Centro de Vida), WWF-Brazil was one of the supporters of SOS Daughters of the Pantanal and Cerrado, an initiative that brought food, water and equipment to traditional people, as indigenous, quilombolas and riverside populations in Mato Grosso. SOS Daughters of the Pantanal and Cerrado began as a group of women who wanted to spread the culture and art of their people. However, with the fires that have affected everyone in the region, they decided to transform a live show about art, which was already scheduled, into a solidarity campaign.

WWF-Chile calls to approve Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service

Although people seem to be more aware of the great importance that protected areas have for human and nature well-being, their conservation is not yet fully guaranteed in Chile. This is due to the fact that a vital link in the country's environmental institutions is still pending: the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service.

Despite being given the utmost urgency, the creation of the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service is still debated in Parliament, where the first draft of this service entered in 2011.

WWF-Peru promotes sustainable changes to protect the oceans through schools

WWF and GIZ have been working hand in hand with the Ministry of Education, through the General Directorate of Regular Basic Education, to together summon the voices of teachers, and thus direct efforts towards our blue planet. The teachers participated in a course where they strengthened their knowledge about marine-coastal ecosystems, in order to design and implement integrated environmental educational projects (PEAI) and learning projects within the framework of the implementation of the National Basic Education Curriculum. In this way, a favorable impact on student learning and the acquisition of good environmental practices in the educational community will be promoted.

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Fundación Vida Silvestre joined Wikimedia Argentina to improve knowledge about the country's biodiversity

In July, more than 90 volunteers enrolled for the “Biodiversity of Argentina Editathon,” to create, correct and expand articles about the wildlife of the country on Wikipedia, the free enciclopedia.

The event was organized by Wikimedia Argentina and Fundación Vida Silvestre through its project ArgentiNat, the local portal for iNaturalist, along with the main two museums of natural history from Argentina. Seeking the collaboration between the communities of Wikimedia and ArgentiNat to improve the information about the species of Argentina, resulting in more than 100 edited articles.