Few people know the rainforest as well as Chris Ketola. As Head Field Research Coordinator at Wilderness International, he works in our protected areas and experiences first-hand the positive impact of our conservation efforts on biodiversity and the health of the ecosystem. As a Wilderness ambassador, he also shares his knowledge with his community and inspires others to join our mission and get involved in nature conservation.
Get involved and protect your own piece of wilderness now – for yourself or as a gift!
have wilderness sponsors
protected for ever, thereby ensuring that
remain permanently stored in the forest’s biomass
It is an incredible feeling to walk through a forest that exists only thanks to our joint efforts. Every sound, every birdcall, every living creature is proof that our work is important. It not only helps to protect the land – it also provides a home for animals that would have none outside the protected areas.
The Amazon rainforest is renowned for its biodiversity. Around 10 per cent of all the world’s bird species can be found here. But how are these species studied? How is scientific data collected, and what insights does it provide?
In the first episode of its series “Exploring Perú”, Foggy Lens Productions joins Chris Ketola and the volunteers from the ornithological research programme to find out more about the birds in the Peruvian tropics.
Wilderness International is a non-profit environmental organisation with a single goal: to protect the Earth’s last remaining unique forests and wilderness areas for ever. To this end, Wilderness International purchases plots of land through registration in the land register, thereby ensuring their legally secure and permanent protection. The land purchases are funded by donations towards so-called ‘wilderness sponsorships’. Wilderness sponsors receive a personalised certificate stating the exact geographical coordinates of the protected forest area.
WI Germany and WI Canada were founded in 2008 by 25 people from six countries, representing 24 different professional fields and aged between 18 and 69. In 2019, the Peruvian organisation dedicated to protecting the tropical rainforest joined the initiative. Today, Wilderness International consists of three sister foundations:
In addition to the founding donors, Wilderness International Germany is supported by eight members of the Foundation Board, three members of the Executive Board, our operational team, many volunteers and countless donors, partners, sponsors and supporters. You can find out more on the “Wilderness International Germany” page.
At Wilderness International Canada, alongside Tobias Hürten and Kai Andersch, Marco Lou, Tyler Bruce and Stephen Gabrysh also work directly on the ground to manage our partnerships, land acquisitions, expeditions and the protection of our forest areas. Volunteers, donors and supporters are also actively involved here. You can find out more under “Wilderness International Canada”.
At Wilderness International Peru, the seven founders form the board of trustees. On the ground, the organisation’s president, Dr Chris Kirkby, works alongside a team of forest rangers and the rest of the operational team to oversee the protected areas, carry out research and biodiversity monitoring in the forests, the search for and purchase of new plots of land, and projects with local schools, communities and partners. You can find more information on the “Wilderness International Peru” page.
‘Forever’ really does mean ‘forever’ – or, at least, for as long as the foundations exist. The areas protected by Wilderness International are privately owned by the foundation. This means that all three sister foundations (Germany, Peru, Canada) are the owners of the land. The foundation’s organisational structure prevents the rights to dispose of the property from resting with a single individual and ensures its long-term survival.
What is so special about a foundation?
Our articles of association stipulate that the land must be left undisturbed and may only be visited for research and documentation purposes. This entire structure ensures that the protected areas remain secure even in the event of a change in operational management.
If other organisations do not own the land they protect, they can only guarantee its long-term permanence to a limited extent. Without ownership, external factors such as political changes, economic pressure (e.g. rising value of agricultural land) or social conflicts can jeopardise the long-term conservation of the forest. With the three sister foundations of Wilderness International owning the protected areas, long-term protection is permanently secured.
The rainforests in Peru and Canada are among the last remaining intact wilderness areas on our planet – and are, sadly, under acute threat. 10–15 per cent of all annual emissions are caused by the destruction of these forests and their peatlands – which is why we must act now!
Numerous studies confirm the threat to the rainforests in Peru and Canada.
In Peru:
In Canada:
Everyone is aware of the value of the Amazon rainforest and the threats it faces. Yet hardly anyone speaks of the forgotten ecosystem of the temperate rainforest in British Columbia:
If we lose the last remaining intact rainforests, this will have catastrophic consequences for our planet. The concept of planetary boundaries states that there are certain ecological limits; exceeding these endangers the stability of the Earth’s ecosystem and, consequently, the future of humanity. Numerous studies show that we are well on the way to exceeding at least five of the nine planetary boundaries, also known as ‘tipping points’. One of these is the loss of the tropical rainforest. We are already feeling the effects of climate change, but we still have the chance to avert the worst consequences, as the summary of the book ‘Earth for All’ shows.
