Late Summer 2016

The next generation

Investing in the next generation is crucial to the success of any effort to restore our planet’s natural habitats. The Conservation Leadership Program (CLP) has been doing just that for the last 30 years and is widely recognized as one of the most impactful organizations for educating and nurturing the next generation of ecology leaders.

In April, Land Life’s own Ingeborg Magi (27) and her team won the prestigious Young Conservationist Award. Their winning project is a restoration initiative at the Papenkuils wetlands, a biodiversity hotspot located along the Breede River in South Africa, designated by UNESCO and the WWF as a high conservation status. This project aims to mitigate the impact of surrounding rural areas by planting a buffer zone of native trees while establishing wider community involvement in protecting the beautiful wetlands.

The team consists of Lyndre Nel (25), an employee of Living Lands, Roderick Juba (25), a Ph.D. student at the University of Stellenbosch, Michelle Duncan (26), a social scientist, and Ingeborg Magi, a researcher for Land Life Company.

The official kick-off is planned for August and we will keep you up to date on the progress of this group of young nature warriors. 

Autumn 2016

A Mediterranean adventure

The Mediterranean coasts are among the most popular holiday destinations for both European and international tourists for good reason. The beautiful rugged coastlines carving through azure blue waters are a stunning backdrop for a dream vacation.

However, the Mediterranean is also where the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly perceptible and severe. Declining water availability and rising temperatures have led to desertification and forest fires. Now is the time to strengthen the resilience of these ecosystems.

With support from the LIFE program, the EU’s funding instrument for environment and climate action, this Mediterranean-focused project intends to restore desertified areas by planting 25,000 trees in major affected areas across Greece, Italy, and Spain. This is an exciting project with many opportunities to assess impact alongside the overarching ambition to combat the effects of climate change and revitalize ecosystems across the European continent.

Planting will commence in the Autumn of 2016

Winter 2016

Throw it on the BBQ

The flavor from mesquite tree charcoal as part of a BBQ cook-up is becoming more and more popular in the US. To produce this charcoal, the mesquite tree is now harvested at random in the north of Mexico, causing deforestation all over the state of Baja California.

Together with the Mexican Ministry of Forestry, Land Life will be working with an impoverished community in Ensenada, Mexico to set up a sustainable and productive mesquite plantation. Within a few years it aims to bring the community a stable source of income and improve land and water management.  Planting will start by the end of the year.