Biodiversity Spring Market in Brussels
The WCS EU Office participated in the Biodiversity Spring Market on 23rd March, hosted by the Belgian Biodiversity Platform in Brussels on the theme ‘Business and Biodiversity’. The event provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the importance of biodiversity for economic activities and business, and to connect with key actors from across Europe in an informal setting.
We had a stand showcasing some of WCS's global conservation work related to local economic development including:
The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme
The SWM Programme is a major international initiative that aims to improve the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife in forest, savannah and wetland ecosystems. The Programme is developing innovative, collaborative, and scalable new approaches to conserve wild animals and protect ecosystems, whilst at the same time improving the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and local communities who depend on these resources. It is being funded by the European Union with co-funding from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) and the French Development Agency (AFD), and is coordinated by a dynamic consortium of four partners, namely the FAO, CIFOR-ICRAF, CIRAD, and WCS. Learn more
IBIS Rice
IBIS Rice is a conservation enterprise working with Cambodian farmers to protect the ecosystem while growing premium organic jasmine rice. We work directly with wildlife-friendly farmers who are committed to the strictest environmental standards and are paid a guaranteed premium for their crops. As a result, a uniquely diverse forest ecosystem in Cambodia is being safeguarded from destruction, and a number of endangered species are being saved from extinction including the Giant Ibis, Cambodia’s national bird. Learn more
The High Integrity Forest Investment Initiative (HIFOR)
HIFOR is an innovative finance mechanism to scale up investment for the conservation of high integrity tropical forests. HIFOR units represent one hectare of well maintained, high integrity tropical forest located within a large well-conserved landscape. Investments in HIFOR directly support tropical forest conservation and help maintain the critical biodiversity and ecosystem services that they provide. Learn more
MaMaBay Conservation Enterprise (ECM)
ECM is a limited liability company that directly connects cocoa producers in the buffer zones of the Makira-Masoala landscape in Madagascar to international markets. We structure certified and traceable supply chains where each ton of cocoa supports both sustainable income for communities and forest protection. Our model is based on access to premium markets conditional on compliance with conservation agreements, committing producers and communities to protect their environment. Learn more
Participants at the Biodiversity Spring Market in Brussels