Without the world’s most biologically important habitats, animal species will decline, plants will wither, and greenhouse gas emissions will continue to rise. As a company devoted to nature in all its precious forms, we proudly support World Land Trust – a UK-based conservation charity that strives to sustainably manage endangered habitats and natural ecosystems across the world, protecting and sustaining global biodiversity.
World Land Trust is a truly exceptional example of environmental stewardship. It offers a simple, practical, and tangible solution to the threat of deforestation: land acquisition. Working with highly respected local organisations, communities, and individuals – as well as notable patrons, like David Attenborough – the charity fights for the protection of threatened habitats, raising the funds to purchase them and create natural reserves. In doing so, World Land Trust not only safeguards countless ecosystems and wildlife, but it also helps revive the environment’s harmonious interrelationships. It’s worth noting that while the organisation channels funds to areas that need it, local communities maintain total autonomy over the projects.
In saving forests under threat of clearance, World Land Trust offsets carbon emissions and delivers ‘balancing’. Its protection means carbon – that would otherwise be diffused into the atmosphere – is continuously reabsorbed. By soaking up carbon from the environment, these habitats achieve Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), which is now recognised as one of the most efficient ways to limit the effects of global warming. World Land Trust also offers an innovative Carbon Balanced Paper scheme, guaranteeing that the unavoidable emissions generated from the production and distribution of paper are offset. In fact, World Land Trust balances the carbon impact of the entire printing process of our catalogues.
Another key operation for World Land Trust is widespread tree planting. Once the charity’s local partners acquire new reserves, any degraded habitats and deforested lands are restored and resurrected. To date, the organisation has cultivated thousands of new forests across the world, enriching local landscapes and unlocking the extraordinary benefits of natural woodlands. The advantages of planting new saplings are numerous and far-reaching:
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Trees soak up harmful CO2 from the atmosphere and help to reduce climate change
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Trees protect the soil from erosion, reduce surface run-off, and diminish large-scale floods
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Trees are important for ecosystems; they connect woodland areas and enable movement of wildlife
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Trees support agriculture by creating shade and shelter for livestock, as well as augmenting soil condition and decreasing topsoil erosion
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Trees create wood fuel; the carbon emitted in burning wood is offset by what is absorbed by the growing tree
As a company that’s wholly invested in the welfare of the planet, championing World Land Trust’s altruistic vision couldn’t be more of a natural fit. From boosting biodiversity to soaking up pollution, we simply can’t do it without the natural ecosystems of the world. Supporting World Land Trust means we can play a vitally important role in protecting the biosphere and safeguarding future generations. After all, we believe respect for the environment is every bit important as good health.
References:
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World Land Trust. (2019). Rainforest and Wildlife conservation in action with World Land Trust. Available online: https://www.worldlandtrust.org [Accessed 18 Feb. 2019].