Wilderness International Impact Report (short)

IM PACT RE PORT 2024 Wilderness International 1

Time to give 100%

28

FOR THE LAST REMAINING

PERCENT

of the Earth's intact land surface.1 2

Mosses, ferns and lichen are signs of a very old forest like this one at Mia Falls on Vancouver Island.

3

Content

Introduction p.7

Why we need to protect oldgrowth forests p.13

Protecting nature.

But effectively.

Mission. Vision. Action!

Why a foundation? p.33

May we introduce ourselves? p.63

Where we are active Our foundation is committed to publishing all financial figures and information transparently as part of Transparency International’s standard.

More information at: www.en.wilderness-international.org/transparenz

Peru - tropical rainforest Canada - temperate rainforest p.83

Projects we are passionate about p.105

Added to that, we are proud members of:

The best partners nature could ask for p.137

4

5

INTRO When the sun rises over the tropical forests along the Tambopata River, the forest begins to breathe.

Introduction

A proverb says:

"Some people walk through the forest and see nothing but firewood."

There is nothing to add to this. Today, only 2.8% of intact land surface still exists. That is 4.17 million square kilometers of fantastic, valuable nature that we can still save together.

All over the world, targets are now being set to reduce greenhouse gases. While this is a step in the right direction, it is unfortunately not enough. Even if we stopped using fossil fuels today, we could not stop climate change if we continue to destroy high-carbon ecosystems at the same time.

Many initiatives now plant trees. This is important but unfortunately, this does not prevent species extinction if the wild habitat disappears from the Earth forever. The good thing is: We still have the chance to maintain a healthy climate and save the amazing biodiversity of the Earth.

And best of all: We have an ally! The savior of the climate and biodiversity has long existed: the forest.

When we preserve it, we preserve ourselves.

During the 2015 conservation expedition: Foundation board member Anton Kamolz marvels at an ancient giant red cedar tree.

8

Let's give 100 %.

9

WHY WE NEED TO PROTECT OLD GROWTH FORESTS In the Toba Valley, mountains and old growth forest stretch right to the banks of the glacier river.

Because old-growth forests are the all-round solution to the environmental problems of our time.

Why we need to protect old-growth forests

Because forests give us more than we think.

View from the "Land of the Grizzly Bears" to the other side of the river.

SDG 6 - Clean Water

1 — Sufficient rain

Water-related ecosystems should have been protected and restored already by 2020. The functions of forests presented on this double page all contribute to the achievement of this SDG (= Sustainable Development Goal).

The plants of the Amazon basin release 20 billion tons of water into the atmosphere every day. This is equivalent to twenty times the amount of water that evaporates over the sea!2 The forest creates the largest river of freshwater on Earth. By constantly evaporating and exhaling water vapor, the forest itself provides the rain it needs and which makes it a rainforest.

4 - Forests and oceans

2 - Water storage The rest of the rainwater seeps into the forest soil. Without the forest, rainwater would run off directly into the rivers, resulting in a lack of drinking water and rain in the region. This would make it much hotter and drier.

14

When forests are cut down, their nutrient-rich topsoils are washed away by rain. This soil is washed into rivers, and then the sea, causing these waters to eutrophicate due to the excess of nutrients. By protecting forests and their rivers, we prevent marine eutrophication and pollution, helping to achieve SDG14.

3 - Water purification

SDG 14 - Life below water

Our protected areas also contain rivers and wetlands such as forest bogs. Forests clean the water in streams and rivers. By protecting them, we contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal SDG 6.

SDG 14 calls for the prevention and significant reduction of all forms of marine pollution, especially from land-based activities, by 2025.

15

Why we need to protect old-growth forests

5 - The forest as a sunshade

6 - Nutrient safe

The dense foliage of forests ensures a moist and cool microclimate. You can feel it yourself when you take refuge in the shade of a tree on a hot summer day - the tree‘s evapotranspiration cools the immediate surroundings.

With their roots, forests prevent the erosion of nutrient-rich soils. If the forest disappears, the nutrient-rich topsoils are washed out or washed away by the rain.

7 - Green lungs

BELOW A mossy maple grove in the Toba Valley

Over thousands of years, trees have produced much of the oxygen that is vital for us humans. They therefore secure our livelihood. Forests also filter fine dust from the atmosphere, such as heavy metals, nitrogen oxides and soot particles, produced by industrial and car exhaust. Trees really are the "green lungs“ of our planet.

8 - Domino effect Deforestation of rainforests not only causes direct damage, it also has an indirect negative effect on remaining surrounding forests. Deforestation causes the surrounding forest to become drier, hotter, and ultimately less resilient; nutrient-rich soils from the deforestated areas are easily washed away depriving the remaining forest from essential nutrients. This creates a recipe for an unsuitable environment for the remaining forest.

9 - Irreplaceable Even reforestation can never restore the original conditions of an ancient rainforest. Thus, protecting existing forests is the top priority, even more important than planting new trees.3

16

17

Why we need to protect old-growth forests

10 - Refuge of biodiversity

View of the lush vegetation of the Toba Valley growing to the river’s edge.

Wilderness areas are the only places where countless species find a suitable habitat. The older forests become, the greater their genetic diversity.4 Therefore, old growth forests guarantee the long-term survival of numerous species. The extinction of a single plant species is often associated with the extinction of 10 to 30 animal and other plant species, since most organisms in rainforests are interdependent.5

SDG 15 - Life on Land

11 - Nature heals itself if it is left alone.

By protecting intact rainforests, we contribute to the achievement of SDG 15. By preventing deforestation, we halt the resulting land degradation and desertification. At the same time, we enable renaturation. For only if existing nature is preserved can biodiversity spread out from there again. This is an essential prerequisite for the restoration and rehabilitation of damaged forests, land and soils - especially those affected by desertification, drought and floods.

12 - Adventure & recreation Last but not least, forests are places of rest and recreation.

Their fantastic landscapes offer space for adventure, challenge, and reflection on our past. "Forest bathing" even has medically proven, positive effects on the human psyche and physique. It improves, for example, breathing, pulse, blood pressure and the immune system.

18

SDG 15 calls for the protection and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems, especially forests, by 2030.

For all these reasons, forests - especially old-growth forests - are our most important buffer against humaninduced climate change and the associated habitat loss and species extinction. Many scientists therefore believe it is more effective to protect existing forests than to plant new trees.

That is why we see the protection of intact old-growth forests as currently the most important measure in nature conservation.

19

Macaws + nest + chicks in hollow branches eat Brazil nuts

Harpy eagle nest

Orchids

Pygmy anteater Screaming piha + 30-40 other bird species

Vines entwine the whole tree

ca. 50m height

Woodcreeper

Brazil nut tree about 500 years old Ants

Fishtail Palm

Centipede

Giant anteater

Fern

20

With a donation of US$64 (CA$96) to Wilderness International, you protect a piece of forest that is 64 m2 (688 feet2) in size. This corresponds to 3200 m3 (473,000 feet3) of habitat with countless niche habitats for a huge variety of animals and plants that interact with each other in symbioses.

Monstera

Breeding ground for mosquito larvae, worms & tadpoles Foliage

Every euro protects one square meter of habitat.

Sounds good? But it is even better.

Our graphic shows just how much life the Brazil nut tree offers a home for, from the roots all the way to the canopy.

Aguti

3-6 frog species (trunk & ground) Beetle

LIVING TREE. LIVING SPACE.

Here you can find a similar graphic of the temperate rainforest: https://en.wilderness-international.org/ inform/temperierter-regenwald/

Larvae

ca. 64m² area

21

Why we need to protect old-growth forests

Because we need to re-think our current practices.

The Earth's forests sequester as much CO2 as is stored in the entire atmosphere. When such high-carbon ecosystems are destroyed, they release more CO2 than would ever be possible to sequester again in a time span relevant to humans. 10 - 15 % of all annual emissions are caused by forest destruction and the draining of forest peatlands.

The loss of intact forest has a much greater impact on the atmosphere than the global aviation sector, which accounts for only 3.5% of emissions.6 And worst of all, for every tree we cut down, we not only emit more CO2 into the atmosphere, we destroy our greatest ally in the fight against climate change.

SDG 13 - Climate action The global temperature increase is to be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030. By protecting existing, high-carbon forests, we and our partners contribute to achieving SDG 13.

Lonely and alone, these last two trees stand in the middle of a clearcut on Vancouver Island.

Forest loss

"Globally, old-growth forests are our most important buffer against human-induced climate change. Protecting them is a top priority if we want to save the climate."

Kai Andersch Forest Scientist & Chief Executive Officer

22

Every year, 12.2 million hectares of tropical forest are cleared. Another 13 million hectares of boreal, subtropical and temperate forests are cut year after year. That's 25.2 million hectares of destroyed forest annually — an area equivalent to the size of Great Britain.

23

vb

Protect trees > Plant trees?

These days, it feels like you can save the climate by planting a new tree with every purchase you make. That sounds excellent, but how effective is this method compared to protecting existing old-growth forests?

Cost/benefit factor Where is money best invested for conservation? Climate change is a pressing problem.

Fast and efficient measures are needed to stop it. If you had a limited budget, what would be the best option using trees to ensure a healthy environment?

Requirements

Biodiversity and biomass 7

·

100,000 m² area

·

Objective: fulfillment of all ecosystem services (air filtration and cooling, oxygen production, water storage and filtration, soil formation and erosion control, flood and avalanche protection, recreation and tourism, food supplier, research object, role model function (bionics), environmental human well-being effect, genetic resource).

MAXIMUM POSSIBLE SPECIES DIVERSITY (%)

100 %

OLD-GROWTH

50 %

Option A Protect old-growth forest

TREE FARM

0

5

10

15

20

25

YEARS

Conclusion Tree farms and planted forests achieve only a fraction of the species diversity and biomass compared to old-growth forests, even after 25 years of growth.

• •

Donate US$100,000 to Wilderness International (WI) Protect 100,000 m² of old-growth forest without expiration date or additional costs 100 % effective immediately

Option B Plant trees • •

Invest US$200,000 minimum Buy 50,000 m² of land and reforest it with site-appropriate, native and biodiverse tree and shrub species

50 %* effective after 25 years *max.

24

25

Carbon storage 700 600

TONS CO2 / HECTARE

OLD-GROWTH

500 400 300 200 100 TIME -100

TREE FARM

-200

Tree plantations need about 25 years to become "climate positive". In the first years after planting, they carry a heavy "carbon backpack"is filled with the greenhouse gases emitted in the nursery and during planting. In addition, the soil emits additional CO2 for the first few years after planting.8

Conclusion Please do not misunderstand us: It is beneficial to plant trees today!

It helps the climate as a CO2 “extractor” once established after 25 years, and especially makes sense when the forest has been extracted and will not regenerate quickly on its own.

Yet the most important measure to prevent climate change is to protect existing forests.

Fog shrouds the giant trees in the "Land of the Grizzlies".

26

Why we need to protect old-growth forests

Dear NATURE, THANK YOU for everything!

Without the forest, our air would be too polluted to breathe. There would not be enough reliable rain. Our water sources would dry up, drought and heat would plague us. Our soils would be washed out and lacking in nutrients. Instead of birds chirping and bees buzzing, it would be quiet.

ABOVE Majestic Sitka spruce in the temperate rainforest

RIGHT A young grizzly bear learns how to catch salmon in the Toba River from his mother.

28

That is why we think it is time to say “thank you” to nature. For all the free services it so naturally provides us with every day, without which, our lives would be impossible.

Together, we are giving back to nature by preserving and protecting the last intact, high-carbon, biodiverse ecosystems.

29

PROTECT NATURE. EFFECTIVELY.

A rare kermode bear fishing for salmon. Due to its color and traditional significance, it is also called spirit bear by the First Nations.

Protecting nature. Effectively.

Mission.Vision.

ACTION! Mission

Protect wilderness areas from vanishing forever and preserve them for future generations.

The Wilderness International team dedicates its daily work to the legal and secure purchase of ecologically valuable and acutely threatened wilderness areas around the world in order to protect them in perpetuity.

32

Vision

By 2050, protect the last 2.8 % of our planet's remaining intact habitats through the purchase of secure title.

We still have the opportunity to save the last wilderness areas on Earth. This knowledge and the enthusiasm for nature drive us to implement our project step by step.

A mighty humpback whale off the coast of British Columbia.

33

Protecting nature. Effectively.

How we protect wilderness: Our step-by-step guide to saving the world 1

2

3

4

Find Land Plot

Buy in Advance

Receive Land Title

Create georeferenced aerial images

In rapid assessments, we work with researchers to determine whether a forest area is worthy of protection. The decisive factors are whether the area has high biodiversity and carbon storage capacity, whether it is threatened, and whether it is located in a strategically important place.

The purchase of the land is financed with loans. We do not collect donations for a piece of land that we do not yet own.

We work in countries with a high degree of legal security and only purchase land with clear and secure title. All three foundations are entered on title in the land register.

5

6

7

8

Refinance through donations

Prove by certificate with geocoordinates

Research, document, communicate

Ensure long-term protection

Everyone can donate for the protection of a specific piece of this wilderness area.

The donation refinances the purchase and ensures long-term protection. Each square meter is allocated only once.

34

Donors receive a personalized certificate with the exact geo-coordinates of the forest they have helped to protect. This makes protection tangible and directly traceable.

Environmental ambassadors and researchers visit the areas, conduct research together and experience the forest they are protecting first-hand. They then use the research findings, photos and videos for environmental education in schools and to inspire others with their love for wild nature.

With the help of drones, we create highquality aerial panoramas of our land parcels. These are uploaded to our website. Each square meter is provided with exact geo-coordinates.

Regular visits, local partnerships, forest guardians, payment of property taxes and the foundation concept ensure the long-term protection and ecological integrity of the areas. Read more about this on p.40 (Why a foundation).

35

A TREE HAS WITNESSED HISTORY Some of the giant trees in our protected areas are already 1,000 years old.

And they can live for another 1,000 years.

But how do we guarantee that they won't be destroyed before then?

Maximum age* 1203 Tree is born

10000

1492 Discovery of America

1867 Canada becomes a nation 1872 Foundation of the first national park 2015 Paris Climate Agreement

5000

YEARS

1865 First industrial use of crude oil

0 Man 122 years9

Tree 9550 years10

* ol dest kn ow n i n di vi d u a l

36

37

Protecting nature. Effectively.

I would like to be as old as a tree...

Why a foundation?

During our short lives, we can only protect a tree in this short term. That is why we want to create structures that guarantee the protection of these ancient species for generations to come - regardless of political changes.

"The legal foundation under civil law is designed for perpetuity. [...] In Germany, for example, numerous foundations are very old, some of them more than a thousand years. [...] "

“

• since 1161 Johannishofstiftung Hildesheim • since 1177 St. Johannis-Jungfrauenkloster Lübeck • since 1184 Magdalenen Hospital Münster” 11

''The legal form of the foundation uniquely allows for the implementation of a (charitable) purpose permanently and independently of outside interests and thus makes it possible to achieve the desired effects in the long term.12

A foundation is the most long-term human construct currently known. Not even states, companies or national parks are designed for such a long term. This makes the foundation the only form of organization that is compatible with the lifespan of the ecosystems we protect. * Our foundation purposes are: 1. Environmental protection, nature conservation, animal welfare 2. Related education, science and research

• A foundation operates independently of political constructs and sometimes even states.

• For the foundation's purpose* it receives the foundation's assets, which are always preserved.

3. International understanding, • It is independent of individuals and cannot be development aid, art and culture inherited because it does not belong to anyone for the support, implementation, alone. A foundation always belongs to the and communication of climate, community of people who are committed to its environmental, nature and animal purpose at the time. welfare projects.

38

Some of the ancient giants on the West Coast of Canada can grow up to 100 m tall.

39

VVB

$1

US

* DONATION?

That's where it goes: * all numbers based on actual spendings since our foundation in 2008 * Canada: $1.50 CAD protects 1 m²

US$1 protects 1 m2* of forest!

initial costs long-term costs

*11 ft²

38 %

Land purchase and purchase process In addition to the costs for purchasing the land, this also includes costs for the notary and the land register entry as well as property taxes.

19 %

Preparing land purchase: finding, researching and documenting relevant nature conservation areas

5%

Administrative costs

20 %

Environmental education and communication This part goes directly into our projects, such as the Walk for the Wild and environmental education projects with schools, as well as workshops and into our web platform.

40

In rapid assessments, we work with researchers to determine the area's biodiversity and carbon storage capacity. Aerial photos from drones help us to document the areas.

18 %

Long-term protection and research Regular visits, local partnerships and forest guardians help to monitor and ensure the ecological integrity of the areas. Environmental ambassadors and scientists visit the areas, conduct research together and experience the forest they are protecting.

N50° 30' 53,872" W128° 12' 10,5" protected by Jane Smith and John Public

with US$100, you have protected 100 m² of forest in Canada forever* $150 CAD / 1077 ft²

Aerial view of the "Land of the Wapitis" in the Toba Valley.

Your donation to forest conservation: traceable down to the square meter.

Protecting nature. Effectively.

View your donations, from the air.

We protect forests - 100% transparently. We show exactly where your donation has been used, down to the square meter. To do this, we create high-resolution aerial photos of our protected areas and place the net of exact geo-coordinates over them.

The company Quantum Systems supports us in this endeavor. This allows us to create unprecedented highresolution aerial images of large scale forest areas in the shortest possible time. We also conduct flights with LIDAR and multispectral cameras. These enable us to create 3D pictures and thermal images of the forest and to determine information about tree height, carbon storage and biodiversity in the forest areas.

High Tech.

Low Budget.

This saves large amounts of time and donation money that otherwise would have been spent on costly and sometimes dangerous walk-throughs. Moreover, we can explore current and future protected areas without entering them and disturbing them by creating trails.

Thanks to our cooperation with the software company Pix4D, we can then assemble a large aerial image from these thousands of individual aerial photographs in just a few hours.

Watch this video: https://youtu.be/RXaJw6ki8ss

44

ABOVE The teams of Quantum Systems and Wilderness International during the 2021 Peru expedition.

ABOVE The Trinity drone takes off for the first high-resolution aerial photos of the forest.

LEFT A LIDAR image of the protected areas along the Tambopata River.

45

$8000

With US you could buy...

1

160g

er ü Gold

Koi carp

0.19 1

Bitcoins

5.9m² Used car

of residential land in Berlin

OR Protect

8.000 m² of wild nature forever

Aerial view of the "Land of the Wapitis" in the Toba Valley.

46

During the winter, huge waves crash on the rugged coast of Vancouver Island, Canada.

Massive buttress roots, covered in epiphytes, provide stability to this giant Ceiba tree along the Malinowski River.

In wildness lies the preservation of the world.

53

Fog over the tropical forests in our Peruvian protected areas creates a mystical atmosphere.

A rare coastal wolf on beach patrol in the "Land of the Otters" on Porcher Island.

Thick layers of moss in the canopy of this maple tree in the "Land of the Grizzlies" speak of its impressive age.

Sea lions love the rocky coast of British Columbia.

MAY WE INTRODUCE OURSELVES?

Dürfen wir vorstellen?

"What motivated me to join WI, and what continues to convince me, is the directness of the work.

Instead of expensive awareness campaigns, WI actually protects unique wilderness areas. And not only the how, but also the what is sound. Areas for protection are selected based on acute threat, ecological importance, or strategic location. All of this can be tracked by anyone using geo-coordinates. It can't get more transparent than that!"

Jenin Ziemens

Environmental Ambassador

"As a biologist and conservationist, I see how habitat destruction is not only driving species extinction around the world, but I also know that this is a big driver of climate change. When I stumbled across WI, I knew right away that I wanted to be a part of this work. The principle is simple and highly effective. We protect ancient, intact habitats with an abundance of species and at the same time we prevent the emission of additional greenhouse gasses.

No frills but very targeted and transparent wilderness protection, what more could you want?"

Fabian Mühlberger Biologist and National Geographic Nature Photographer

62

63

May we introduce ourselves?

Three sisters. One mission.

Local organizations working together for international wilderness conservation.

Wilderness International consists of three sister NGOs in Peru, Canada and Germany.

Each was co-founded by local people and in each of them, locals are actively involved. There are always local projects such as the forest guardians in Peru or tree planting events in Germany. But above all, the three organizations work together on an international level for wilderness protection and environmental education.

This includes exchange projects with First Nations like the Gwich'in and the Cowichan for the protection of their traditional territory. In addition, all three foundations are always registered on title in the land registry to strengthen the security of protection.

The three sisters: Peru, Canada & Germany

Carnivorous sundew catches flies amidst the silence of the bog.

64

May we introduce ourselves?

The WI team well-dressed in front of a giant Ceiba tree in Peru, thanks to outdoor clothing donated by Craghoppers.

68

May we introduce ourselves?

Conservation for the future - not from the past.

For our foundation to exist in the long term and function in the best possible way, it has to keep growing from the bottom up. Our participatory structure and team-based approach allow us to exchange thoughts across generations and to grow with new ideas again and again. This means that today, we are already working for the generations of tomorrow.

Anton Kamolz before 2013 Participant Walk for the Wild 2013 2014 since 2018

Tobias Hürten before 2012 Participant Walk for the Wild 2014 2015-2017 2017-2023 since 2017

70

Environmental ambassador Voluntary Ecological Year Member of the Governance Board

Charlotte Voigt before 2012 Founded an environmental action group at Frankfurt International School

Environmental ambassador Volunteer service Team member, responsible for partnerships WI Canada Board of Directors

2013, 2014, 2018 since 2018

Henriette Wessel before 2012 Participant Walk for the Wild

Carina Büder 2017 Voluntary Ecological Year

2014 2015-2017 since 2017

since 2021

Environmental ambassador Volunteer service

Scientific assistant on expeditions Member of the Governance Board

Member of the Governance Board

Full-time team member, responsible for communication, WI Peru Management board 71

ENOUGH THEORY NOW IT GETS REAL!

What we have achieved so far.*

15,186,681 10,777,720 119,299 646,663 101,804 116 74 56

m² of forest purchased, of which...

m² are already protected permanently by...

individual donations.

metric tons of CO2 sequestered

trees planted in the "My Tree - My Dresden" project

School environmental projects

Partners (Cooperation & Conservation)

The Gwich'in-German team on the first expedition for the protection of the Peel River Watershed in 2008.

Environmental Ambassadors

*As of 0 1 .0 1 .2024

75

Nature couldn't agree more: Money can buy happiness.

In 2021 alone, we were able to buy as much land as in the previous 13 years!

This is a success story. If we maintain this rapid growth, we can expect to purchase over 100,000 hectares per year and protect them together before 2030!

Olé, Olé!

In total, we have acquired land with a total area of 1012.98 ha as of December 31, 2021. This corresponds to 1,417 soccer fields or the size of the P h i P h i Isla n ds in Th a ila n d.

10

160 150 140 130 120 110 100

1

Land of the Eagles

50.18 ha

2

Land of the Wolves

48.89 ha

70

3

Land of the Grizzlies

62.32 ha

60

4

Land of the Ghost Flowers

72.85 ha

50

5

Land of the Wapitis

80.53 ha

6

Land of the Rufous Hummingbirds

76.89 ha

7

Land of the Otters

67.18 ha

8

Land of the Sloths

50.74 ha

9

Land purchase Canada

57.87 ha

10

Land purchases Peru

445.53 ha

11

Land purchases 2022/2023

2653.63 ha

90 80

9

40

3

AREA IN HA

30 20

1

2

5

4

6

7

8

10

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

YEAR

WHERE WE ARE ACTIVE

Maria Laura Tolmos measuring trees to calculate their carbon storage.

Where we are active

PERU TROPICAL RAINFOREST

The most biodiverse place in the world Only few rays of sunlight break through the dense canopy of the jungle's giants. They stand on tall buttress roots and are covered in liana and epiphytes. High up in the treetops, a brown-throated sloth gently stretches to savor the juicy leaves of a cycropia tree. In the afternoon, cicadas start chirping like a clockwork, drowning the sound of almost everything else.

Only the following thunderstorm and strong rainfall quiet them.

The Amazon rainforest is famous

COLUMBIA

worldwide for its biodiversity. It

ECUADOR

stretches from the Atlantic coast of Brazil all the way to the Andes in the west of the continent. This makes it

Amazon

the largest contiguous rainforest on Earth.

BRAZIL

However, species are not evenly distributed here, and so even in this

Andes Lima

cradle of life, there are isolated hotspots of species diveristy. The Madre

Madre De Dios Our protected area Machu Picchu

PACIFIC OCEAN

de Dios region is considered the most biodiverse place in the world.

BOLIVIA Lake Titicaca

A rare view of the treetops of the tropical jungle giants.

CHILE

81

In diesen Gebieten setzen wir uns ein

Why Peru?

Are there any old-growth forests left?

More than half of Peru's surface is covered by forests. The country has the world's fourth-largest stock of tropical rainforest. Of this, 87% still consists of old-growth forest (2018)13.

Are the existing habitats important for the preservation of biodiversity?

The rainforests of the Madre de Dios region are considered the most biodiverse place in the world. Because of the favorable climatic conditions and geological developments, there are 10 times more reptiles and amphibians here than in Canada. Approximately 10% of all bird species of the world can be observed here, and on one hectare of forest you can find approximately 400 tree species - that is more tree species than in the whole of Europe north of the Alps.

Is the ecosystem important for a healthy climate?

The forests of the Amazon basin are the largest contiguous rainforests on Earth.

They even create their own weather: a unique water cycle, starting at high altitudes, brings heavy clouds from the Atlantic Ocean over 5,000km all the way to the west of the continent.14 What sustains this water cycle: the vast extent of the contiguous rainforests.

Property rights: can we buy land with legal certainty and protect it for perpetuity?

The land law in Peru works reliably. There is land with land title (which we buy for longterm conservation), "constancias" that can be converted into land with title, and lease concessions for forestry, mining, but also conservation.

Are the forest areas threatened?

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about 10 million hectares of tropical rainforest were lost annually between 2015 and 2020, with the Amazon region suffering the most annual damage.15 In 2020 alone, an area of primary forest as large as El Salvador disappeared. Peru holds a sad record of third place. The main causes are agriculture, forestry and mining.

Macaws at the "Chuncho clay lick" in the Tambopata National Reserve.

83

Where we are active

Things to know about Peru

633,879,426 Hectares of forest

528,958,249

Hectares of old-growth forest

in the south lies part of the

annual precipitation of up to

desert in the world

in the rainforest

second driest

47

3,800 mm

more than

indigenous languages

are spoken in Peru

Rain brings out the many shades of green in the forest.

86

87

View of the tropical primary rainforest.

Where we are active

CANADA TEMPERATE RAINFOREST

A natural wonder When the fog lifts over the lush green rainforests of the west coast, it reveals 800-year-old giant red cedars, covered to their loftiest heights with lichen and thick blankets of moss. On the shore, deer and cougars have left their tracks in the sand. The awe-inspiring howl of a pack of wolves sounds through the valley. Welcome to the wilderness.

ARCTIC OCEAN

The temperate rainforest of western Canada is a wonder of nature. Its untouched forests are home to wild coastal wolves, salmon-fishing bald eagles, rare carnivorous sundew and towering forest giants such as maples, red and

USA

yellow cedars, Douglas firs and other massive trees, up to 2,000 years old and 100 m tall.

ATLANTIC OCEAN

PACIFIC OCEAN

Our protected areas

Vancouver

Ottawa Deadwood provides important habitat and food for insects and birds.

90

USA

Toronto

91

Where we are active

Why Canada?

Are there any old-growth forests left?

Large natural areas make up 70% of Canada. 34% of the country is covered in forest, of which 53% is still old-growth.16 In total, Canada is home to 20% of the world's remaining wilderness areas.17

Are the existing habitats important for the preservation of biodiversity?

The temperate rainforest is a unique ecosystem. Its old-growth forests are home to a unique biodiversity and giant trees that are thousands of years old. Rare ghost flowers are at home here, as well as bears, wolves and eagles.

Is the ecosystem important for a healthy climate?

The forests and coastal bogs in our protected areas are champions of carbon storage and one of the most important "sinks" in the Earth's carbon cycle. They also make an important contribution to cooling and purifying the air and storing water.

Property rights: Can we buy land in a legally secure way and protect it in the long term?

Canada is a constitutional state with strict regulations regarding ownership. This makes arbitrary expropriation impossible. Damage results in comprehensive sanctions. The British Columbia Trespass Act clearly prohibits trespassing on private land. Violations are prosecuted by court action.18

Are the forest areas threatened?

Everyone knows about the value of the Amazon rainforest and the threats it faces. But hardly anyone talks about the forgotten ecosystem of British Columbia: it is home to the last large contiguous area of temperate rainforest in the world.19 And yet British Columbia, of all places, is one of the last jurisdictions in the world that continues to allow large-scale logging of ancient tree giants as old as 600 to 1,800 years.20 Between 2003-2010, logging in BC was responsible for higher annual carbon emissions than all of Finland.21 The main reasons for deforestation are logging, agriculture, and infrastructure construction.

Fallen trees, thick layers of moss and ferns make up the undergrowth of an old-growth forest.

92

93

In diesen Gebieten setzen wir uns ein

94

95

Where we are active

Things to know about Canada

347,000,000 Hectares of forest in Canada

22,600,000 Hectares of old-growth forest in British Columbia

Nation with the

second largest land area on the Earth but only

36,000,000 inhabitants

as a comparison:

Germany is 26x smaller

but has more than

twice as many inhabitants

diverse, ancient

First Nation culture So-called "nursing logs," old fallen forest giants, provide nutrients for young seedlings.

97

View of the rugged northern coast of Porcher Island.

An imposing bald eagle monitors its territory from the air.

PROJECTS WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT

Projects we are passionate about

1

Our core: old-growth forest protection through sponsorships

2

Carbon footprint calculator and offsetting

3

Walk for the Wild & environmental education

4

School environmental projects

5

Research expeditions

6

Environmental ambassador program

7

Cooperation with First Nations / local communities

8

Protection of the Peel River Watershed with the Gwich'in

9

Forest guardian program

10

My Tree - My City (Mein Baum Mein Dresden)

The Toba River, bathed in sunlight, in the middle of undisturbed temperate rainforest.

102

103

Projects we are passionate about

Our core: Forest protection through sponsorships Every US dollar donated through a wilderness sponsorship guarantees the permanent protection of 1m² of primary rainforest on the Canadian west coast or in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Wilderness sponsors receive a personalized certificate with the exact geo-coordinates and an aerial photo of their protected forest.

15,186,681 m²

of forest purchased by WI

10,777,720 m²

permanently protected by sponsorships through

119,299

individual donations from private individuals, schools and companies

There are many ways to contribute to nature conservation through donations.

But unfortunately, only few organisations also show measurable, traceable success. What makes Wilderness International's work different? We want to do something tangible, highly effective and directly traceable, and we want to give everyone the opportunity to participate: to protect a very specific

104

piece of invaluable wild nature for all time.

It is important to us that the protection is absolutely secure and long-term.

Therefore, we purchase ecologically valuable and acutely threatened wilderness areas, currently in the temperate rainforest of Canada and the tropical rainforest of Peru.

In 2014, environmental ambassadors Felix and Henriette were able to walk to the exact area of forest that their school protected in the Toba Valley, thanks to a GPS device and the geo-coordinates on the certificate.

We are registered in the land registry so that the purchases are legally secure for perpetuity. The protection of the areas is transparent and tangible. Every USD donated directly guarantees the permanent protection of 1m² of primary forest with thousand year old trees and unique animals on the Canadian west coast or in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. The donation refinances the purchase and at the same time enables us to ensure the long-term protection of the area, as well as support environmental education and research. All wilderness sponsors receive

a personalized certificate with the exact geo-coordinates and a high-quality aerial photograph of their protected forest.

This way they can see exactly what their donation was used for and what piece of unique wilderness they have preserved forever.

We know the areas we protect very well because we regularly visit them on expeditions. We take students and partners on these trips so that they can see the areas they protect and experience them first-hand.

105

Projects we are passionate about

The advantages of our calculator

Transparency & Traceability We use only publicly available data for the calculation and disclose all emission factors used in the calculation.

Thoroughness The emission factors were selected based on numerous quality criteria and from relevant scientific sources.

The data is regularly updated, optimized and expanded in scope and quality.

Carbon footprint calculator and offsetting No matter if you are a company, an individual, a household, a traveler or if you are hosting an event - we have developed several specialized carbon footprint calculators that enable you to calculate, analyze and reduce your carbon footprint, free of charge. In addition, we offer a voluntary compensation project that enables you to protect the most biodiverse forest on Earth and thus save biodiversity and reduce the effect of climate change.

2034

compensations completed (most of them for travel)

> 273,904 m²

of old-growth forest protected

16,434.23 t CO2

offset

106

Holistic

As far as the availability of data permitted, we included the entire life cycle of a product or activity in the calculation of its carbon footprint. In addition, we use CO2 equivalents, which means that other greenhouse gasses such as methane are also included in the calculation.

Calculation and offsetting in one!

Following the calculation, you can directly offset your carbon footprint by protecting a piece of primary rainforest.

For example, not only do we include . emissions from the gasoline combustion of the car, but also the emissions from raw material extraction, production and disposal of the vehicle.

107

Carbon footprint compensation Old-growth forests store huge amounts of carbon. By protecting them directly and permanently, we prevent the release of stored carbon. This makes more of a difference for the climate than by stopping flying (see p.24). Aside from carbon storage, mature forests have many other functions that contribute to a healthy, stable climate and to life on Earth, which we find much more important and worthy of protection (see p.16).

"Ensuring a healthy climate is not a luxury, but a duty we have to our children. But we won't manage to keep to the 1.5° limit if we don't step on the gas. That's why the foundation's carbon footprint compensation campaign is a great thing. It combines climate protection with saving incredibly beautiful primary forests."

Prof. Dr. Bernd Klauer Deputy Head Department of Economics Helmholz Centre for Environmental Research and Professor of Sustainability & Water Resources Management at University of Leipzig

Our mission: to change climate change.

“The goal of offsetting should not just be to compensate for unavoidable emissions. Rather, offsetting should aim at preserving life on Earth itself."

Kai Andersch Forest Scientist & Head of Management Board WI

108

109

Walk for the Wild & environmental education

Highly motivated elementary school students at the Walk for the Wild in Dresden 2021.

Students look for sponsors and do physical activity to protect wilderness.

Before the Walk for the Wild, we go to their school for environmental education presentations.

58 Walk for the Wild events

between 2012-2020 at 68 schools throughout Germany

> 40.000 students

have participated in our class sessions and in the Walk for the Wild

> 17.000 of them

have actively protected wilderness themselves

Environmental Education Before the Walk for the Wild, we go to all participating groups in the registered schools and give multimedia presentations. We talk with the students about the rainforest ecosystem, its characteristics and the threat to the last remaining wilderness areas worldwide. The students have the opportunity to ask questions and to challenge and expand their existing knowledge. It is also important for us to point out solutions. The Walk for the Wild offers a practical way to get active for nature conservation.

110

After the Walk for the Wild, we go back to the schools for evaluation sessions.

During these, the students can see their impact and realize their potential to make a positive change in the world, as individuals and as a community. This environmental education work is a fundamental part of the Walk for the Wild. That is how we contribute to the achievement of SDG 4.

SDG 4 - Quality education This SDG seeks to ensure "that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to promote sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles."

Projects we are passionate about

TOP Participants take off at the Walk for the Wild in Dresden.

The Walk for the Wild

112

Our sponsored runs are an opportunity to get active for our environment: for the world's most biodiverse rainforests, for a healthy global climate and for greener schools at home.

During the Walk for the Wild, students have one hour to run as many laps as possible. Before running, they voluntarily look for sponsors. For each lap the student runs, the sponsors donate a chosen amount of money to support wilderness conservation.

113

Projects we are passionate about

"In the end, we protect only what we love, and we love only what we understand, and we understand only what we have come to experience."

Baba Dioum Forestry Scientist

Students of the Lößnitzgymnasium Radebeul create a school pond and plant greens around it.

School environmental projects 20% of the donations collected during the Walk for the Wild can be used by the school for environmental projects. With this money, schools across Germany have created ponds, gardens and insect hotels, and planted trees.

116 projects

financed and implemented

Nature conservation begins on our own doorstep. That's why 20 % of the sponsorship money collected during the Walk for the Wild can be used to implement the school's own environmental projects. Together, we create natural habitats for native plant and animal species, and make school grounds and interior spaces greener. Habitat that becomes open-air classrooms: for animal observation or the study of plants, water and soil.

A green roof for the St. Benno Gymnasium in Dresden

Renewal of the school pond at Freinet School Moritzburg, Germany

22x

Establishment of habitats in the form of

5x

Insect hotels, beekeeping, nest boxes

ponds, orchards and dry habitats

27x

Schoolyard/house greening: tree and

2x

Soil aeration and tree planting

13x

Green classrooms

7x

Interior spaces made greener

18x

School gardens: renaturation, raised-

shrub planting, roof greening 22x

Environmental education: butterfly monitoring, field trips, environmental library, equipment (e.g. binoculars), bat projects, workshops

bed gardening

114

115

Conservation is not rocket science. But it needs to be scientifically based.

David MacDonald measuring a tree to determine its biomass and subsequently carbon storage.

Projects we are passionate about

Research expeditions We visit our protected areas before and after purchase for scientific research and documentation, in addition to environmental education.

28 research expeditions and environmental ambassador trips 48 scientific projects & publications* *for example, on the subject of Canadian yarrow in cancer therapy

Wilderness expeditions are the base of our nature conservation concept. During our visits, we focus on the documentation and scientific recording of unique wilderness areas. On the basis of "rapid assessments" (short, target-oriented data collection) on ecological integrity, biodiversity and carbon storage, we decide which areas are to be purchased and protected in the long term. A special highlight are the trips together with the local community, e.g. with Canadian First Nations in the temperate rainforests and in the Western Arctic.

118

LEFT Dr. Matthias Nuss (Senckenberg World of Biodiversity) and Environmental Ambassador Blanka Schubert on their way to do biodiversity research in the old-growth hotspot Koksilah Forest, BC, Canada.

Scientists, photographers and filmmakers also accompany us on our expeditions.

They show partners and interested people from around the world the uniqueness of our protected areas.

Follow our ongoing expeditions live on our blog: www.wilderness-international.org/blog

119

Environmental ambassadors “Wisdom Seekers Knowledge Keepers“ Thanks to a scholarship, young people can experience first-hand the wilderness areas they have helped to protect. Back at home, they inspire many others for the protection of nature. They also contribute to the foundation's work in many ways.

56

environmental ambassadors received a scholarship and went on an expedition

13

of them have decided to do a voluntary service with WI

3

of them have become full time permanent team members With our scholarship program, we want to give young people the opportunity to directly experience nature conservation, regardless of their financial situation. Students who have already participated in the Walk for the Wild and who convince us in a multi-stage application process are accepted into the program.

On the expedition, they can experience the areas they have previously protected up close and form an opinion about our nature conservation concept. Thanks to the support of scientists and local guides, the environmental ambassadors discover the unique flora and fauna of the rainforest through their own research projects.

120

The environmental ambassador class of 2014 in front of a giant two-trunk Oregon maple tree in "the Land of the Grizzlies".

121

Projects we are passionate about

“When you listen to the silence in the rainforest, you learn to distinguish the important from the unimportant.

It has become important to me that our children's children can experience this later on.”

Astrid Environmental ambassador

ABOVE Canoeing in the Salish Sea during the 2010 expedition with the Quw’utsun.

In exchange with knowledge keepers and youth from the local Indigenous communities, students learn about our hosts’ culture and their relationship with the environment. After the expedition, the scholarship holders raise awareness through lectures, media reports and exhibitions. As passionate ambassadors, they inspire many thousands of fellow students to become active for a sustainable future and a healthy planet. Most of the environmental ambassadors have maintained close ties with us and continue to contribute inspiring ideas to the foundation.

RIGHT Environmental ambassadors learn about the forest and how to survive in the wilderness during the 2016 expedition.

122

123

Herzensprojekte

Collaboration with First Nations/local communities It is very important to us to collaborate with Indigenous Peoples, who are the caretakers and stewards of their traditional territory since time immemorial.

In collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, we seek to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into future scientific endeavours and conservation management decisions.

With youth and knowledge keepers of the Teetl'it Gwich’in, we embarked on two expeditions to raise awareness for the protection of the Peel Watershed in 2008 and 2017. In addition, the Teetl'it Gwich’in visited our teams in Germany.

Accompanied by knowledge keepers, we were honored to learn about their culture and connection to the environment. We were also invited to participate in many important cultural events such as potlatches, drum making, and hat weaving. To give back, we helped organize a Walk for the Wild event to help support a conservation project led by the Cowichan Tribes, and organized several cultural exchanges to Germany.

In working with the Cowichan Tribes, thousands of students were inspired to protect Canada’s wilderness through lectures and Walk for the Wild events in Germany. In 2010, 2011, and 2012, we embarked on a joint expedition into the old growth forests of Western Canada.

In 2013, the city of Cologne hosted a particularly meaningful event: Master carver Yut’xwam Harold Joe and his assistant George Rice, both members of the Cowichan Tribes, made a unique, 8 meter totem pole from a red cedar tree.

So far, we have been fortunate to work alongside the Teetl'it Gwich’in of the western Arctic, and the Cowichan Tribes of Vancouver Island.

124

ABOVE Conversations with Hwiemtun, a knowledge keeper from the Quw’utsun Nation on the 2011 expedition LEFT Yut’xwam Harold Joe, a Quw’utsun elder demonstrates the traditional art of carving

125

Projects we are passionate about

Protection of the Peel River Watershed with the Gwich'in Together with members of the Teetl'it Gwich'in, we worked to protect the Peel River Watershed from 2007-2018 - and we won! It is a unique, ecologically intact mountain wilderness area the size of Austria in the remote Northwest of Canada.

The Peel River Watershed is home to the largest land mammal herd in the world, the caribou. It is also home to rare Barren Ground grizzly bears and wolves. Three rivers give it its name, all feeding the Peel River, the lifeline of the North. The region is the very basis of life for the Teetl'it Gwich'in's food, history and culture - it is their identity.

And yet, the Yukon territorial government decided to open 71% of this watershed to mining corporations.22 Subsequently, an unprecedented court case in conservation began, led by three First Nations and two Canadian NGOs. It was the first to go all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

126

In cooperation with the Teetl'it Gwich’in, we organized two joint expeditions in which youth and elders visited their traditional territory. In addition, the Teetl'it Gwich’in traveled to Germany where they shared their culture and raised their voices for the protection of their homeland. In combination with numerous media publications, including newspaper articles and a movie (aired on APTN), we were able to draw international attention to the issue.

ABOVE During an adventurous conservation expedition with the Teetl'it Gwich'in in rafts on the Snake River, 2008.

RIGHT Aerial view of the Peel River.

In 2017 the great decision came: 80% of the area will be permanently protected!

That's 55,858 km² of valuable mountain wilderness - an area larger than Costa Rica - that will remain untouched by industry.

127

Projects we are passionate about

Forest guardian program In Peru, we need to show presence in our forest areas and be in contact with the local population to ensure the protection of the land. This task is performed by local forest guardians.

Forest Guardians are local people with a lot of experience and knowledge of their forests. Everyday, they work to preserve the forest by regularly walking through protected areas, setting up signs, staying in touch with the people in the region about our projects, and if necessary, confront and report any illegal activity on the land.

The forest guardians are also responsible for the training of new team members, thus passing on their knowledge and experience to the local community. They take part in regular training courses; for example, learning to use drones and specialized GPS devices to help them in their work, to document their routes and mark points of interest in the forest.

As guides, they also lead and support our international expedition teams, through document collaboration and aiding in research projects. In the process, they also share some of their knowledge of the forest in short videos and other educational materials that we create together. The forest guardian program offers a sustainable livelihood that provides an alternative to gold mining, logging or agriculture and its negative long-term impact.

Our forest guardian Santiago "Chiki" Durand in front of a huge Ceiba tree along the Malinowski River.

128

129

Herzensprojekte

My Tree - My City (Dresden) This project started in 2019 in Dresden as a blueprint for independent tree planting initiatives. Non-politically and collectively, citizens green their city and thus improve climate, biodiversity and the quality of life.

101,804

SDG 11 — Sustainable Cities and Communities With this project, we contribute to the achievement of SDG 11. It aims to improve air quality, ensure access to safe and inclusive green spaces, and increase the number of cities and towns implementing projects to mitigate climate change, adapt to climate change, and promote resilience to disasters.

trees planted

220,000 € donated* 3

other cities have adopted the project *in partnership with Startnext via a crowdfunding campaign

550,000 people live in Dresden. That's how many trees and shrubs we want to plant together, in Germany's largest tree planting initiative. We plant native trees and shrubs. We improve biodiversity and create habitats. For cleaner air. For butterflies, wild bees and songbirds. For a healthy community. For a greener and more sustainable Dresden. And as a model for the rest of the world!

Donations allow us to purchase plants and to plan and implement the project, while the voluntary provision of land makes the plantings possible. The joint activities during the planting campaigns promote the cohesion of neighborhoods, workforces, and groups of friends.

Together, we create a sustainable space for a positive attitude towards the environment and life!

130

Volunteer Natalie at the first planting event in Dresden.

131

THE BEST PARTNERS NATURE COULD ASK FOR Macaws stay with their partner for the rest of their lives – so it is only natural that sometimes, quarrels occur.

The best partners nature could ask for

We protect better when we do it together.

Our partnerships in numbers

Achieve more together

Company partners protect a piece of old-growth forest with every product or service they sell. Or they calculate and reduce their carbon footprint and offset the remaining emissions by protecting forest. They usually involve their customers, who receive their own certificate with geo-coordinates. Customers can also make the company forest bigger with further donations. In this, we contribute to SDG 12.

45

Nature conservation partners

SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production patterns

29

Cooperation partners

8

Scientific partners

This sustainability goal calls for initiatives that encourage companies to adopt sustainable practices and include sustainability information in their reporting.

Building bridges Without our corporate partners, protecting the amount

of old-growth forest we currently have would not have been possible.. With their commitment to nature conservation, they take responsibility and, in some cases, even lead the way as pioneers in their industry.

SDG 17 — Partnerships for the goals

In line with SDG 17, we form effective civil society partnerships to promote sustainability, especially in the private sector.

Orca sighting during a cruise with one of our partner companies

134

135

The best partners nature could ask for

Conservation Partners These conservation partners have been with us for more than five years or have protected at least 8,000m² of forest with us.*

• •

•

Canadian airline Carbon footprint compensation of 4 flights, also forest protection as a Christmas gift and at events 8 free flights as well as numerous pieces of free luggage for our expeditions

• •

115,904m² of old-growth forest protected

21,282m² of old-growth forest protected

• • •

•

Canadian tour operator for whale & wildlife watching Carbon footprint compensation Guests receive a personalized certificate for 1m² of Canadian old-growth forest; can protect even more forest themselves Received by 1,052 guests so far

9,022m²of old-growth forest protected

Production and distribution of dental medical equipment Carbon footprint compensation and protection of 1m² rainforest for orders over 100€ in the dental medicine store

• • •

• •

Tour operator for small groups and individual travel worldwide One of our first major corporate partners, joined in 2015 Carbon footprint compensation of 50% of each trip; customers are motivated to offset the other half 110% customer participation within 5 years; unprecedented in the industry Comparable compensation projects have 0.5% participation

1,100,400m² of old-growth forest protected

• • * This is only a selection of our partners - you can find all conservation partners at: https://en.wilderness-international.org/partner

Consulting and architecture company Protection of 6,400m² of forest annually

32,000m² of old-growth forest protected

137

The best partners nature could ask for

• • •

Canadian whale & wildlife watching tour operator Carbon footprint compensation through 1% for the Planet, wildlife fee Great commitment to the environment: school environmental projects about nature conservation in the Greater Victoria area

• • •

Family trips to Scandinavia Carbon footprint compensation Motivates customers to donate extra - very well received

• • •

10,048m² of old-growth forest protected

Producer of natural cosmetics, medicines and medicinal baths Part of the proceeds of the “Need You” natural cosmetics line goes towards rainforest protection in Canada, as well as towards tree plantings in Dresden

•

•

Nature conservation organization of research diver, filmmaker and photographer Robert Marc Lehmann and team Protection of 1m2 of forest for every

•

"Mission Erde" book and carbon footprint compensation of other media products Joint expedition in Peru

41,760m² of old-growth forest protected

71,984m² of old-growth forest protected

54,640m² of old-growth forest protected

•

•

•

Vineyard in Mainz, which is located on the same latitude as our protected areas in the Toba Valley For each bottle of Riesling “50° Nord” sold, 4m² of forest in the Toba Valley are protected

• •

•

Organizes tailor-made school trips, study trips and group trips Protects 1m² of forest per person traveling and compensates carbon footprint

133,248m² of old-growth forest protected

138

• •

Media company with focus on leisure and the automotive sector Outdoor Magazine: writes about work of Wilderness International

• •

Specialist for Canada travel Carbon footprint compensation

17,377m² of old-growth forest protected

10,640m² of old-growth forest protected

13,248m² of old-growth forest protected

•

Innovative community of companies and start-ups in a historic commercial building in Berlin Carbon footprint compensation Motivates tenants to compensate their core business, development of new direct partnerships between tenants in Goerzwerk and Wilderness International

137,728m² of old-growth forest protected

• • • • •

Manufacturer of innovative, plastic-saving products for personal care Protection of 1m² of rainforest per product

10,000m² of old-growth forest protected

Producer of innovative mattresses Protection of 2 m2 per mattress since 2014 Carbon footprint compensation since 2020

22,464m² of old-growth forest protected

• •

Production and sale of baby slings With every order through their online store, Storchenwiege® protects 1m2 rainforest

8,048m² of old-growth forest protected

139

Die besten Partner, die sich die Natur wünschen kann

Carsten Herold, one of the owners of our long-time conservation partner “Herolé Klassenfahrten” on an expedition to get to know the protected areas in the Toba Valley.

140

141

The best partners nature could ask for

Cooperation partners

Support our expeditions with equipment such as tents, hammocks, oudoor clothing, food, etc.:

Thanks to them, your donations can go directly towards wilderness conservation.*

Support transparent forest protection with drones, pilots, and software to create high-quality aerial images:

Support of our office and administrative work with office furniture, technology and the creation of financial statements:

* This is only a selection of our partners you can find all cooperation partners at: https://en.wilderness-international.org/partner 142

143

Die besten Partner, die sich die Natur wünschen kann

Anton and Johann prepare for a comfortable night in the jungle in one of our protected areas in Peru - thanks to the sleeping equipment donated by Hennessy Hammocks.

144

145

The best partners nature could ask for

Scientific partners

• •

Peruvian research & conservation organization Comprehensive support of local tasks for our conservation projects in Peru, including research data on biodiversity and biomass of our protected areas, local environmental education projects and forest guardian program

•

Research on the compatibility of a healthy environment and social development

•

Scientific partner in researching the carbon storage capacities of our protected areas

•

Supervision of joint scientific work

•

Research on ethnobotany together with the Gwich'in First Nation in the Western Arctic and on the flora of the temperate rainforests of western Canada

•

Prof. Dr. Thomas Efferth, Head of the Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, coordinates scientific studies with us

•

Broad international research projects and environmental education (in museums about nature conservation)

•

Scientific partner in biodiversity research of our protected areas, for example, together with Dr. Matthias Nuss on insect diversity etc.

•

One of the largest technical universities in Germany and one of eleven German “Universities of Excellence”

•

Scientific partner for the research of environmental management systems and sustainability strategies for universities & colleges WI is a partner organization in the interdisciplinary "Service Learning praxiSDG"

support our scientific work and research projects*.

* This is only a selection of our partners you can find all scientific partners at: https://en.wilderness-international.org/partner 146

•

147

Our foundation in numbers

Our foundation in numbers 31

Founders

6

Co-founders

6

Countries

28

Different professions

25-69

Age range

Founders: Agnes S. Weiland, Ellen Weiland, Georg H. Merker, MD, Gert Andersch, MD, Dr. agr. Guido Richter †, Hans Dierstein, Henner Kollenberg, Johanna Diehl, Kai Andersch (WI Germany, Peru and Canada), Kathrine Kollenberg, Marit Richter, Matthias Burchert, Matthias Kappelhoff, Nelli Theyel, Niels Hahmann, Jürgen Thiele, Sandra Zügge, Sebastian Reuter, Sissel Hammerstrøm, Dr. med. Steffen Kolschmann, Stephan Hürten, Tom Andersch, Dr. med. Ulrich Zügge, Vera Philipps, Yvonne Sirtl, David MacDonald (WI Canada and Peru), Maria Laura Tolmos Coquelet (WI Peru), Fabian Mühlberger (WI Peru), Tobias Hürten (WI Peru), Henriette Wessel (WI Peru), Chris Kirkby (WI Peru) Co-founders: Petra England, Prof. Dr. Bernd Klauer, Thomas Kimmel, Henrik Voigt, Anton Kamolz, Charlotte Voigt, Thomas Mach, Carina Büder 148

Scientific support

Dr. Friedrich Ditsch, Prof. Thomas Efferth, Hannes Holtermann, Prof.

Andreas Huth, Chris Ketola, Chris Kirkby, Prof. Dr. Bernd Klauer, Dr. Richard Mally, Fabian Mühlberger, Dr. Matthias Nuss, Gudrun Pflüger

TOP LEFT To identify species of trees, Dr. Chris Kirkby examines their leaves.

TOP RIGHT David MacDonald measuring a tree to determine its biomass LEFT Dr. Matthias Nuss identifying species of moths and butterflies

149

Image directory

Image directory We are proud to say that all photographs shown in this impact report were taken during our expeditions and other endeavors and were created solely by our team.

Many thanks to all photographers!

Titel

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.54

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.3

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.56

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.6

Robert-Marc Lehmann, 2021

p.58

Ronny Scholz, 2016

p.8

Mathias Kamolz, 2015

p.60

Reinhard Mink, 2012

p.10

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.62

Tom Andersch, 2021

p.15

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.67

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.16

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.70

Robert-Marc Lehmann, 2021

p.29

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.76

Johanna Diehl, 2008

p.23

Sami Fayed, 2012

p.80

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.27

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.82

Fabian Mühlberger, 2018

p.28

Kai Andersch, 2007

p.85

Fabian Mühlberger, 2018

p.28

Fabian Mühlberger, 2018

p.88

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.30

Thomas Kimmel, 2016

p.90

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.32

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.92

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.39

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.95

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.42

Tobias Hürten, 2016

p.98

Sami Fayed, 2012

p.45

Fabian Mühlberger, 2021

p.100

Reinhard Mink, 2012

p.45

Brock Ryder, 2021

p.102

Fabian Mühlberger, 2021

p.45

Quantum Systems, 2021

p.104

Sami Fayed, 2020

p.47

Tobias Hürten, 2016

p.107

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.48

Fabian Mühlberger, 2018

p.113

Ronny Scholz, 2021

p.50

Kai Andersch, 2021

p.114

Kai Andersch, 2016

150

p.116

Brigitte Heyduck, 2011

p.137

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.117

Brigitte Heyduck, 2019

p.142

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.117

Brigitte Heyduck, 2016

p.146

Robert-Marc Lehmann, 2021

p.119

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.151

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.120

Robert Pohle, 2012

p.151

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

p.123

Sami Fayed, 2014

p.151

Robert Pohle, 2011

p.124

Sami Fayed, 2010

p.157

Erik van de Perre, 2018

p.125

Ronny Scholz, 2016

p.127

Robert Pohle, 2011

p.127

Sami Fayed, 2012

p.129

Johanna Diehl, 2008

p.129

Johanna Diehl, 2008

p.130

Kai Andersch, 2021

p.133

Tobias Ritz, 2019

p.134

Fabian Mühlberger, 2019

151

References

References 1

Plumptre, Andrew J., Baisero Daniele, Belote R. Travis et al. (2021). Where Might We Find Ecologically Intact Communities? Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 4 (21) https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2021.626635/full

2

Quarks (2019). Amazonas Regenwald: So legt die massive Abholzung Brasilien trocken. https://www.quarks.de/umwelt/so-legt-die-massive-abholzung-brasilien-trocken/

3

Butler, Rhett A. (2011). Old-growth forests are irreplaceable for sustaining biodiversity.

Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2011/09/old-growth-forests-are-irreplaceable-for-sustaining-biodiversity/

4

Mosseler, A. et al., 2003. Old-Growth Forests in Canada: A Science Perspective, Environmental Review 11, Ottawa. https://www.fao.org/3/xii/0042-b1.htm

5

Siebert, Sebastian (2011). Infoblatt Artensterben und Artenschutz.

In: Haack Weltatlas-Online. Leipzig: Klett. https://www2.klett.de/sixcms/list.php?page=infothek_artikel&extra=Haack%20Weltat las-Online&artikel_id=108115&inhalt=klett71prod_1.c.139753.de

6

Netz, Hartmut. Zu wenig Natur macht krank. NABU. https://www.nabu.de/natur-und-landschaft/natur-erleben/natur-tipps/27790.html Ritchie, Hannah (2020). Climate change and flying: what share of global CO2 emissions come from aviation? Our world in data. https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions-from-aviation

7

8

Nemoto, S., Finkel, Toren (2004). Das Wunder der über 120-Jährigen. SPEKTRUM DER WISSENSCHAFT, November 2004. Heidelberg https://web.archive.org/web/20140223102732/ http://www.zmbh.uni-heidelberg.de/Gruss/Teaching/Einfuehrung_Biologie/12A.pdf

10

Kullman, Leif (2004). Tree-limit landscape evolution at the southern fringe of the Swedish Scandes (Dalarna province) – Holocene and 20th century perspectives. Fennia 182: 2, S.73–94. Helsinki. ISSN 0015-0010 https://fennia.journal.fi/article/view/3739/3530

11

https://www.stiftungsindex.de/deutschland/

12

https://www.mehrwert.nrw/werkzeuge/rechtsform-stiftung

13

Mongabay (2018). Deforestation statistics for Peru. Abgerufen am 04.02.2022. https://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/archive/Peru.htm

14

Butler, Rhett A. (2019). Ecology of the Amazon rainforest. Abgerufen am 04.02.2022. https://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/rainforest_ecology.html

15

FAO and UNEP. 2020. The State of the World’s Forests 2020. Forests, biodiversity and people. Rome https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8642en

16

Mongabay (2010). Canada Forest Information and Data. Abgerufen am 04.02.2022. https://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/2000/Canada.htm

17

Watson, James E. M., Allan, James R. et al. (2018). Protect the last of the wild.

Nature 563, S.27-30 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07183-6

18

https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/18003

19

DellaSala, D. A. (Hg.), (2010). Temperate and boreal rainforests of the world: Ecology and Conservation. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

20

Wu, Ken (14.09.2019). What will it take to save B.C.’s old-growth forests? Vancouver Sun, Vancouver.

21

Butler, Rhett A. (2011). In the Amazon, primary forest biodiversity tops that of secondary forest, plantations. Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2007/11/in-the-amazon-primary-forest-biodiversity-topsthat-of-secondary-forest-plantations/

Wieting, Jens (2015). B.C. Forest Wake-Up Call: Heavy Carbon Losses Hit 10-Year Mark, Sierra Club BC, Victoria. https://sierraclub.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Forest-Emissions-Detailed-Back grounder_June22.pdf

22

Niedermeier, Nathan (2022). Neue Bäume als Klimaretter - was bringt's?. ZDF. https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/panorama/baeume-pflanzen-klimaschutz-100.html

Watson, James E. M., Allan, James R. et al. (2018). Protect the last of the wild.

Nature 563, S.27-30 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07183-6

23

Vgl. Perú. Ministerio de educación: „Lenguas originarias de Perú“. Abgerufen am

Spake, R., Ezard, T.H.G., Martin, P.A. et al. (2015). A meta-analysis of functional group responses to forest recovery outside of the tropics. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12548

Mildrexler, D. J., Berner, L. T., Law, B. et al. (2020). Large Trees Dominate Carbon Storage in Forests East of the Cascade Crest in the United States Pacific Northwest.

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 3(20). DOI: 10.3389/ffgc.2020.594274 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ffgc.2020.594274/full 152

9

04.02.2022. http://www.minedu.gob.pe/n/noticia.php?id=42914 24

Mongabay (2010). Canada Forest Information and Data. Abgerufen am 04.02.2022. https://rainforests.mongabay.com/deforestation/2000/Canada.htm 153

References

25

Watson, James E. M., Allan, James R. et al. (2018). Protect the last of the wild. Nature 563, S.27-30 (2018).

https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-018-07183-6

26

https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/18003

27

DellaSala, D. A. (Hg.), (2010). Temperate and boreal rainforests of the world: Ecology and Conservation. Island Press, Washington, D.C.

28

Wu, Ken (14.09.2019). What will it take to save B.C.’s old-growth forests? Vancouver Sun, Vancouver.

29

Wieting, Jens (2015). B.C. Forest Wake-Up Call: Heavy Carbon Losses Hit 10-Year Mark, Sierra Club BC, Victoria. https://sierraclub.bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Forest-Emissions-Detailed-Back grounder_June22.pdf

30

The State of Canada’s Forests: Annual Report 2020. Natural Resources Canada. https://d1ied5g1xfgpx8.cloudfront.net/pdfs/40219.pdf

31

Gilani, Haris & Innes, John (2020). The State of British Columbia’s Forests: A Global Comparison. Forests. 11. 316. 10.3390/f11030316.

32

Yukon Conservation Society. Peel History. http://protectpeel.ca/our-story/timeline_story/

33

Gignac, Julien (2019). It’s official: most of the Peel watershed is now protected. Yukon News. https://www.yukon-news.com/news/its-official-most-of-the-peel-watershed-is-now-pro tected/

Bear track on a sandbank along the Toba River

154

155

Imprint

Imprint

Publisher Wilderness International Grundstr.1 01326 Dresden — wilderness-international.org Published on 01.01.2024 Layout, design, conceptual consulting Robert Pohle (schnellebuntebilder.de) Uli Streckenbach (streckenbach.tv) Text and other contents Henriette Wessel, Kai Andersch

157