That’s what it’s all about
Findings of the BAUM e.V. report:
Article at a glance
- Forest conservation that is demonstrably effective must meet three quality criteria: additionality, permanence and freedom from displacement
- Additionality means that a conservation project actually generates additional benefits for the climate and biodiversity.
- Permanence means that the conservation must be long-term (at least 30 years) and reliable.
- ‘No displacement’ means there must be no gaps.
- A comprehensive report by BAUM e.V. certifies that Wilderness International meets these international criteria.
- What sets our forest conservation apart is its holistic approach.
- Alongside our conservation approach, there are other ways to protect the rainforest, such as lobbying, campaigning or reforestation.
You can recognise reputable and sustainable forest conservation by these three criteria
An organisation that promises to protect the rainforest is only reputable and its work sustainable if that protection is genuine, measurable and lasting. If these standards are not rigorously met, there is a risk that the protective effect – and, consequently, your donations – will come to nothing.
The terms ‘genuine, measurable and permanent’ encompass the three international quality criteria for effective conservation projects:
- Additionality
- Permanence and
- No leakage.
We explain these technical terms below.
Complementarity: genuinely effective protection
‘Additionality’ means that a conservation project creates a genuine, additional benefit for the climate and biodiversity – in other words, it achieves an impact that would not have occurred without the project. It ensures that every square metre of forest protected actually represents a new, measurable conservation benefit, rather than merely counting existing measures twice or rebranding them.
A project is only considered additional if it meets several criteria:
- Baseline scenario: A credible scenario must be established showing how the forest would have developed without the project.
- No legal obligation: The emission reductions must not be required by law. They must therefore be voluntary and go beyond legal requirements.
- No funding from existing programmes: The emission reductions must not already be covered by other programmes or government funding.
- Project intervention: The project must actively take measures to ensure forest conservation.
Only if all these criteria are met will the protection of a forest area be genuinely effective and make a real contribution to halting the loss of biodiversity and carbon sinks.
Durability: Long-lasting and long-term protection
Permanence means that the protection achieved is long-term and reliable. A project only meets this criterion if the protected areas and their ecological values (such as stored carbon, habitats or biodiversity) are preserved over many decades.
International standards generally regard periods of at least 30 years as permanent. At Wilderness International, however, we aim for truly long timeframes. In doing so, we seek to fulfil the requirement of genuine permanence in its most consistent form. For whilst many projects operate on a temporary basis, here the forests are permanently set aside from use – across generations.
To legally safeguard this permanence, we operate as a foundation: unlike any other organisational form, this allows us to pursue a (charitable) purpose permanently and independently of external interests. Furthermore, we operate only in countries with stable legal systems and purchase land only where it is officially registered in the land register.
Freedom of relocation: Comprehensive protection
Does Wilderness International meet these quality criteria?
We commissioned a comprehensive process assessment from the “German Federal Working Group for Environmentally Conscious Management” (BAUM e.V.).
The results confirm that Wilderness International meets all three international quality criteria. Our conservation work is additional, permanent and free from offsetting:
- Our projects meet all the criteria for additionality – ecologically, financially and legally, as well as in terms of transparent accounting.
- Thanks to the title deeds we acquire when purchasing land and the land registry entries, our forest conservation is long-term.
- Thanks to our holistic approach, there is no displacement into neighbouring forest areas.
The expert report by BAUM e. V. assesses our work as a ‘best-practice example of integrated, scientifically sound forest conservation’.
Wilderness International is largely achieving its statutory objectives. The foundation successfully protects ecologically valuable wilderness areas through legally sound land acquisitions and long-term earmarking of land for specific purposes. Furthermore, it promotes education, research, intercultural exchange and the transfer of environmental technologies through innovative projects in Canada, Peru and Germany. Its activities are wide-ranging, well-documented and demonstrate an effective integration of nature conservation, scientific work and social engagement.
The holistic conservation approach: How we protect the rainforest
At Wilderness International, we take a holistic approach. This means that our conservation strategy is built on four key pillars: land acquisition, research, environmental education and local conservation work. As such, our forest conservation efforts go far beyond the principle of simply ‘buying and protecting land’.
The report by BAUM e. V. highlights our work as an ‘integrated, systemic model for modern forest conservation’. Rainer Kant, a qualified forester and one of the most experienced expert assessors in the fields of biodiversity and forest ecosystems, attests that our conservation approach is
- integrated approach,
- systemic thinking,
- multidimensionality,
- interdisciplinarity and
- holistic approach.
In short, in the words of Rainer Kant: “The organisation brings together different perspectives, methods and stakeholders to achieve its goals effectively and sustainably. This methodologically multifaceted and modern approach to nature conservation represents a forward-looking model for the protection of wilderness areas.”
We’ll explain exactly what this means in the following sections.
Inclusive: We bring together civil society, business and academia
This integrative approach is evident in the way Wilderness International links various sectors of society:
- Knowledge transfer: Environmental and climate protection are combined with educational initiatives, technological innovations and economic funding models.
- Stakeholders: Businesses, schools, scientists and local and indigenous communities are actively involved.
This creates synergies between civil society, the business sector and the scientific community.
Inclusive: We bring together civil society, business and academia
In our work, we never view the protection of a single area of rainforest in isolation. We take a systemic approach by considering ecological challenges within a broader context.
Every patch of forest we protect is part of a complex ecological network and, as such, has a direct impact on the global climate, biodiversity and the regional water cycle.
Through this profound systemic approach, we design our conservation measures to achieve long-term and far-reaching effects. In short: we are not just safeguarding an area of land, but the vital global functions of the ecosystem.
Multidimensional: We bring forest conservation to life and make it transparent
We take a multidimensional approach, as our conservation work has an impact on several levels simultaneously.
- Ecologically, we safeguard habitats rich in biodiversity.
- Economically, we fund protection through land sponsorships and CO2 offsetting.
- Technologically, we use innovative tools such as drones, satellite imagery and eDNA for monitoring.
- Through educational initiatives, we bring environmental protection to life in schools via projects such as wilderness runs, and we carry out local projects in collaboration with the local community
- We make forest conservation tangible by providing the exact geographical coordinates of protected areas.
Through this approach, we not only put environmental and climate protection into practice, but also make it transparent and tangible.
Interdisciplinary: We rely on a broad range of specialist knowledge
Another key aspect of our work is our interdisciplinary approach. We bring together experts from a wide range of fields, including biology, geography, computer science, education and environmental science.
This breadth of expertise enables us to make well-informed decisions, develop innovative solutions to complex problems and communicate the interconnections involved in rainforest conservation in a way that is easy to understand.
A holistic approach: The result of our work
How do other organisations protect the rainforest?
In addition to Wilderness International’s holistic conservation approach, which combines many of the following strategies, there are other ways to protect the rainforest:
- Political influence & lobbying: Organisations put pressure on governments to enact stricter environmental laws and to influence international trade agreements in favour of forest conservation.
- Local conservation & development work: The focus is on providing direct support to indigenous and local communities to promote sustainable sources of income and the self-management of their protected areas.
- Awareness-raising & campaigning: Through media campaigns and educational initiatives, global awareness of the threat is raised and public pressure is built up against those responsible for deforestation.
- Certifications & standards: International sustainability standards (e.g. for palm oil or timber) are developed and monitored to ensure more transparent and sustainable corporate governance.
- Financial incentives (REDD+): Countries are financially rewarded through mechanisms such as REDD+ if they can demonstrate a reduction in emissions from deforestation, in order to make forest conservation economically attractive.
- Strengthening indigenous rights: Protecting land rights and supporting indigenous peoples are essential, as indigenous peoples are among the most effective guardians of the rainforest.
- Restoration (reforestation): Damaged areas are restored through targeted reforestation and the restoration of ecosystems (e.g. peatland forests) to safeguard biodiversity and carbon storage.
How do other organisations protect the rainforest?
As humanity, we should have a natural interest in preserving the rainforest. For if we protect the rainforests, we also preserve the essential ecosystem services they provide – from which we all benefit.
The immense value of the rainforests
The value of rainforests to our planet, to us as humans and, consequently, to our future is almost immeasurable:
- Climate stability: Tropical rainforests store billions of tonnes of CO2 and stabilise the global climate.
- Water cycle: Rainforests store water, generate rainfall and thus safeguard our water supply.
- Biodiversity: Rainforests are home to 50–75 per cent of all animal and plant species worldwide.
- Home to indigenous peoples: Rainforests are home to many indigenous peoples, whose knowledge of the sustainable use and healing powers of nature is invaluable.
- Soil protection: Intact rainforests prevent soil erosion, thereby safeguarding fertile farmland and ensuring the availability of raw materials.
- Global supply chains: Many exported and imported products depend directly on intact ecosystems in the tropics – from coffee and rubber to timber and cocoa.
Important: We should not reduce rainforests to individual aspects and view them merely as ‘suppliers of raw materials’. They are an essential, self-regulating ecosystem that is indispensable for all of humanity and for our planet’s ecological balance.
Deforestation: Our rainforests are under an existential threat
The world’s rainforests are being destroyed by deforestation and slash-and-burn practices to create land for agriculture and other profit-driven projects:
- Cattle farming: The largest areas are often cleared to create pastureland for cattle farming.
- Agricultural expansion: The expansion of monocultures such as soya (mainly as feed for global intensive livestock farming) and palm oil (for food, cosmetics and biofuel) poses a massive threat, particularly in South America and South-East Asia.
- Mining and raw materials: The extraction of minerals and raw materials (such as gold, iron or bauxite) leads to the destruction of large areas of land and to environmental pollution (e.g. through mercury in gold mining).
- Logging: The illegal and uncontrolled felling of precious woods for timber not only creates gaps in the forest but also makes the areas accessible for further deforestation and settlement.
- Infrastructure projects: The construction of roads, dams and other infrastructure opens up remote forest areas and encourages further destruction.
Join us in protecting our precious rainforest
Your contribution to a world that breathes: with every donation, you help protect precious rainforest in Peru or on Canada’s west coast, thereby safeguarding the very foundations of our own existence.
Intact forests provide us with water and clean air, and help stabilise the global climate. Join us in protecting them: down to the square metre, complete with a certificate.
