Friends of Conservation support forestry and fuel efficiency projects around the world. Here is a selection of projects that help to offset the effects of climate change.

Fuel efficiency programmes – Kenya

FOC are working on a variety of fuel efficiency programmes in Kenya which help to offset the effects of climate change:

One key objective is to reduce the large amount of wood used daily by communities for cooking and heating; leading to the depletion of forest resources and resulting loss of wildlife habitat as well as releasing additional amounts of carbon back into the atmosphere.

FOC has helped to introduce mud stoves to communities as an alternative to open fires. These use less wood and therefore help to reduce the burden on the Maasai women who collect it, sometimes walking long distances, carrying thirty or forty kilos at a time.

In addition, Audley are partnering with FOC on a new alternative energy project which involves the setting up of a bio-gas unit in the Greater Mara area, which borders the world famous Masai Mara Reserve. This relatively simple technology requires few raw materials - and provided there is sufficient water and cattle dung available, methane gas can be produced in less than a week – which can then be used for cooking and lighting. This project is in the early stages; look out for updates as work progresses.

In addition, FOC are continuing a long established tradition of forestry management and sustainable resource programmes, having provided over 250,000 tree seedlings to communities to help reverse deforestation. Often these are provided free of charge, for example to schools and hospitals.

FOC are also committed to providing environmental education programmes for schools, and have set up Conservation Clubs in 50 local schools. These programmes are designed to promote interest amongst young Maasai in future career opportunities in wildlife, tourism and conservation and have resulted in a number of them becoming community scouts, naturalists and tour guides. FOC also deploys a mobile outreach programme, aimed at reaching the large numbers of Maasai children who have no access to formal education.

Whilst retaining a strong presence in the Mara region, FOC is also developing new projects around Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. These include tree-planting programmes at orphanages and schools, some of which are located in slum areas of the city. Where there is no water for irrigation, boreholes will be dug, therefore benefiting the wider community by providing water supplies.

Tambopata National Reserve and Bahhuaja Sonene National Park, Peru

The Amazonian State of Madre de Dios is one of the least populated and least developed regions of the Amazon. With over 590 species of birds and 1,230 species of butterfly found in one 55km area is has amazing biodiversity.

The Region is endangered from oil and gas prospecting, illegal logging, mining and unsustainable farming practices. Friends of Conservation’s local partners are seeking to prevent forest destruction through the development of alternative sources of income and environmental education and the promotion of native community initiatives on development problems.

Cano Negro and Forest Refuge Projects, Costa Rica

Friends of Conservation’s local partners work with four communities to protect rainforest, reafforest areas damaged through logging and agriculture and are also creating forest plantations using indigenous species. They also own and are reafforesting land around the Cano Negro to prevent further damage to the lagoon caused by the removal of woodcover.

Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, India

Friends of Conservation supports a NGO called the ‘Prakratik Society’, which operates in Ranthambhore, an internationally renowed National Tiger Reserve, located in Jaipur, Northern India.

Much needed medical and education facilities are provided for the communities living in the villages on the borders of the Reserve. The area is, however, under great pressure from the growing human population and their cattle, who increasingly are grazing freely in the Reserve and causing severe environmental damage to the habitat.

One solution to this has been to set up an artificial insemination programme whereby cattle are stalled, vaccinated and generally looked after, leading to improved health and resulting in better breeding stocks and milk yields, bringing commercial benefits too. The resulting dung can be used to fuel existing bio-gas plants, providing alternatives to open fires - thus preserving forest resources and in this case, critical habitat for the severely endangered tiger.