Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review by Catherine Charnock

2014 ANNUAL REVIEW

Welcome and contents

SUPPORTING EARTHWATCH PAGE4

From the Chief Executive © RICHARD CAVE PHOTOGRAPHY

In 2014, Earthwatch continued to deliver our mission to support environmental research, while inspiring action towards living sustainably. Since joining Earthwatch a year ago, I’ve been privileged to witness first-hand how effectively our work can transform lives and landscapes, communities and workplaces. We were delighted to further the reach of our pioneering citizen science initiative, FreshWater Watch, delivering training days for employees of our corporate partners. The HSBC Water Programme enjoyed its third year, as we engaged and inspired employees from all levels of the bank with sustainable thinking. In addition, senior staff from across HSBC attended our Sustainability Leadership Programme, exploring environmental business challenges whilst contributing to field research. In August we ran Teach Earth, an innovative residential training programme for teachers and environmental educators, kindly funded by Garfield Weston. For five days, Oxfordshire’s Wytham Woods became a classroom hosting learning sessions and hands-on research activities. Each participant left with a revitalised appreciation for nature, which will ripple out to thousands of students. Our Mitsubishi-sponsored public event programme at London’s Royal Geographical Society enjoyed fantastic success, from a showcase of our work with the Diwan of Royal Court of Oman, and the country’s National Research Field Centre for Environmental Conservation, to explorations of the controversial subjects of palm oil production in Borneo’s rainforests, and the legalisation of the trade in endangered animals. We continued to provide opportunities for Shell’s environmental champions to develop their commitment to sustainability. I had the joy of working with four passionate individuals in the Pyrenees, experiencing the impact of engaging directly with science. Our programme in Oman continued to study biodiversity field research with members of the National Centre, Government ministries, universities, schools and businesses. Our focus was on the Arabian tahr, the juniper woodlands, the falaj water system and mountain invertebrates. There are no easy answers to the environmental problems we face, but there is one effective method for tackling them – creating scientific evidence which compels people and companies to act. That’s why we continue to support crucial research in the field, harnessing the power of citizen scientists. You are at the heart of our work. Whether you choose to support nature by generously making a donation, giving your time to join an expedition, or by partnering your company with us, you play an important part in giving all of us a chance for a future where we live within our means. I look forward to my second year with this ground-breaking charity. Sue Holden Chief Executive

£5 PER MONTH ENABLES US TO PLANT

120 MANGROVES A YEAR TO REGENERATE A VITAL COASTAL ECOSYSTEM IN KENYA

WHY WE NEED EARTHWATCH PAGE 5

AS WATER QUALITY DECLINES,

MORE THAN 50% OF

FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES ARE AT

RISK OF EXTINCTION ENGAGING CITIZEN SCIENTISTS IN FIELD RESEARCH PAGES 6-10

WE HAVE WORKED IN

32 CITIES TO TRAIN MORE THAN

1,800 CITIZEN SCIENCE LEADERS

WHO HAVE GATHERED MORE THAN

5,000 DATA SETS 2 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

HELPING COMPANIES TAKE POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION PAGES 11-13

From the Chair of Trustees As both a UK and international environmental and conservation charity, Earthwatch is acutely aware of the threats to our planet posed by ever-increasing pressure on natural resources and the resulting loss of biodiversity. Such problems can seem frightening and overwhelming. So how can we even begin to face them? Earthwatch believes that a powerful and crucial step is to help people connect with nature in a way that is valuable, meaningful and inspires them to take action. That is why we exist, and why for 2015 we will focus on the following priorities:

ÂŠ STEVE GORMAN

SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS

We will help companies take positive environmental action. The business imperative to recognise and address environmental issues is increasing. For companies to continue to meet consumer and investor demands, they must play a leading role in better protecting and managing our natural resources. Through our unique model of employee engagement in relevant field research and the associated learning programmes that we create, we invite companies that value sustainability to get in touch and explore the benefits of a partnership with Earthwatch.

HAVE CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN

3,500

RESEARCH HOURS IN 2014

INSPIRING ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS TO ACT PAGES 14-15

We will continue our work to develop and inspire new environmental leaders, whether through our work with teachers, our student programme or our support of emerging scientists in developing countries, thanks to awards made possible by generous donors, trusts, foundations and companies.

98%

OF PROTECTED AREA STAFF AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT OUR EARTH SKILLS NETWORK HELPED THEM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS PLANNING PROCESS

Finally, we will enable people everywhere to take part in important scientific research within the context of their own communities and workplaces. We will seek a new UK citizen science project to be developed in 2015, and hope you will get involved. You can join one of 50 expeditions around the world to help scientists with their field research. See our website www.earthwatch.org for more details. These priorities represent our commitment to the planet. One of the most effective ways that you can make our work possible is by pledging your support to help us find solutions that ensure a sustainable environment for future generations.

OUR GLOBAL REACH PAGES 16-17

29 27

25 28

We hope you enjoy this review of 2014, and make 2015 your year to reconnect with nature. 40 43

26 31 CLIMATEWATCH

SAW THE DEVELOPMENT OF EIGHT TRAILS ACROSS HONG KONG, MORE THAN 270 PUBLIC CITIZENS ENGAGED AND 41 3,000 DATA SETS COLLECTED

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FINANCIAL SUMMARY PAGE 18 38 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PAGE 19

Louise Barrett Chair of the Board of Trustees

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earthwatch.org | 3

YOUR GIFT CAN MAKE

Supporting Earthwatch

A REAL IMPACT:

Every penny counts Every action matters

A one off donation of £250 buys a camera trap to photograph and protect

For more than 40 years Earthwatch has focused on critical environmental issues. Your support helps us understand and protect a rapidly changing world. By supporting us you enable us to increase momentum towards a more sustainable environment for future generations.

Your support enables us to fund research which investigates the biggest environmental challenges; provide teachers with practical field-based experience to complement their lesson plans; and give opportunities to young scientists in developing countries. George and Judith Mason, of Oxfordshire, funded places for vulnerable young people to experience an Earthwatch expedition. Participants were selected by Kids Company, which provides practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children and teenagers.

DFERN

A monthly donation of £5 enables us to plant

“I enjoyed meeting people who I hope will be friends for life and I’m extremely grateful to Earthwatch and Kids Company for the generous sponsorship – this was the best experience of my life.”

£25 trains a local warden

“We were completely caught up in the enthusiasm and knowledge of those who spoke, and used Earthwatch projects as anchor points for everything we wanted to do while we were away. Projects included leatherback turtles in Costa Rica and Grevy’s zebras and medicinal plants in Samburu, Kenya.

TAG 100 TREES 100 MANGROVES A YEAR

experience of my life"

to regenerate a vital coastal ecosystem in Kenya

to patrol a Costa Rican

TURTLE NESTING BEACH By giving regularly, you help us plan for a more sustainable future. Your support means the earth.

Fabulous fundraiser

“We support disadvantaged children because we believe in our common humanity. If they have the same mindopening experience we had with Earthwatch, it might offer new ways of thinking."

“To anyone considering partnering with Earthwatch I’d say, ‘go for it!' You’d be hardpressed to find a better way of helping the understanding of issues affecting the future of the planet.” Judith Mason

4 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

£50 allows us to

Ashagay said: “I went to Borneo to get out of my comfort zone and look at a wider world. I had no understanding of why rainforests were so important until I was on this expedition.

Judith Mason said: “We never had the opportunity for a ‘gap year’ and decided to travel for six months after retirement. Spending the whole time as tourists didn’t appeal, but then we saw an advert for an Earthwatch open day. "The best

19-year-old Ashagay Chantilou joined Climate and Landscape Change in Borneo’s Rainforest where she was part of a team collecting data for the Sabah Biodiversity Experiment, one of the largest scientific investigations into forest ecology and restoration.

JAGUARS IN BRAZIL

In August 2014, Ben Jack fundraised for Earthwatch by taking part in Ride London, a 100 mile cycling event on the roads of London and Surrey. Despite being in the middle of summer it was also the day that the remnants of Hurricane Bertha swept across England. Ben raised £620, adding to the £800 raised in 2013 for his cycling exploits and £1,500 for completing the 2012 Vienna Marathon.

WHY EARTHWATCH? AS WATER QUALITY DECLINES,

IT HAS BEEN ESTIMATED THAT

OF FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES

71% OF REEF-BUILDING CORALS

MORE THAN 50%

ARE AT RISK OF EXTINCTION MORE THAN

70,000

PLANT

SPECIES ARE USED IN TRADITIONAL AND MODERN

MEDICINE

35% OF BIRD SPECIES, 52% OF AMPHIBIANS AND WILL BE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

GLOBAL FOREST

LOSS

BETWEEN THE YEARS

2000 AND 2012 WAS

UP TO 30% OF THE NITROGEN THAT IS USED IN MODERN AGRICULTURE ENDS UP IN OUR FRESH WATER

888,000

SQUARE MILES

BY THE YEAR 2100, WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, MORE THAN HALF OF THE WORLD’S MARINE SPECIES

MAY STAND ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION GLOBAL SEA LEVEL ROSE ABOUT 17 CMS (6.7 INS) IN THE LAST CENTURY

POPULATIONS WORLDWIDE HAVE DECLINED BY

52% SINCE 1970 OF THE

EARTH’S

WETLANDS WERE DESTROYED IN THE 20TH CENTURY

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION ABOUT 250 YEARS AGO, THE

ACIDITY OF SURFACE OCEAN WATERS

HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 30% OF OCEAN FISHERIES ARE CATEGORISED AS

FULLY EXPLOITED, OVER EXPLOITED,

OR DEPLETED earthwatch.org | 5

Engaging citizen scientists in scientific field research

Freshwater data points swell from a spring to a river FreshWater Watch – our project to assess the quality of aquatic ecosystems around the world – has gone from strength to strength in 2014. In Brazil, Dr. Davi Gasparini Fernandes Cunha is leading Citizen Science Leaders (CSLs) in investigating urban rivers and streams in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba. Davi said: “This research is unique because it has scientific relevance and because ‘amateur’ scientists – our CSLs – are fundamental, active components in the process of understanding the impacts to which urban water bodies are submitted. "We are very happy with the significant percentage of the CSLs who are performing the samplings and uploading their results at the FreshWater Watch website, but we want more! “Together we are building an important dataset on water quality of urban rivers and streams in São Paulo, Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro. “Last but not least, the CSLs are not only monitoring the adopted rivers/streams every two months, but also incorporating daily practices to conserve water and avoid pollution and waste.

London-based Citizen Science Leader Liz Horner said: “It sparked my interest as it was something different, and water is going to be a huge issue for us this century. We need good quality fresh water to have a biodiverse freshwater ecosystem. The training was eye-opening and I learnt a huge amount about what I could do to tackle this challenge so I would recommend it to anyone.”

6 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

Earthwatch launched apps for Apple and Android products to enable data to be recorded from the field and to provide instant feedback from our scientific team. Our website

FRESHWATERWATCH. THEWATERHUB.ORG has been updated and more than 35,000 visitors have logged in. We also created an animation to explain the purpose of FreshWater Watch, which was viewed more than 10,000 times in the first month after launch.

“Besides the scientific impact of creating a big dataset on water quality worldwide, the programme has significant impact on the CSLs: new opinion leaders who can have positive impacts on other citizens through leadership by example.”

FOCUS ON

CORAL REEFS

FRESHWATER WATCH HAS EXPANDED TO OPERATE IN

32 CITIES ACROSS 15

Tropical coral reefs are some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world, as well has having important economic and cultural functions for many communities. However, they are under threat from over-exploitation, pollution, and climate change. Earthwatch research is seeking to provide managers and policy makers with the key information they need to counteract these threats.

COUNTRIES AND TRAINED MORE THAN

1,800

The CORAL COMMUNITIES OF THE SEYCHELLES project aims to map all major coral habitats within the marine park around Curieuse Island and assess biological richness and uniqueness. The annual monitoring of these sites has enabled us to calculate rates of change in habitat quality and identify the most influential factors causing this change.

CITIZEN SCIENCE LEADERS. By the end of the financial year our database contained more than

5,000 DATASETS.

HSBC was a key partner in initiating the project and most datasets have been uploaded by the bank’s employees. Shell came on board in 2014 to expand our reach even further.

In 2014 a team of Mitsubishi employees and Earthwatch volunteers snorkelled and scuba-dived to assist with videography, coral reef monitoring, reef fish surveys and aquarium studies. Young scientists and conservationists from the Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar interviewed and observed key professionals, government officials and local people through focus groups and formal questionnaires. This was part of Earthwatch’s broader Emerging Scientists Programme.

10,000+ viewings in the first month

This project has been generously funded by the Mitsubishi Corporation and is led in collaboration by Professor David Smith at the University of Essex, and Dr. Julian Clifton at the University of Western Australia. earthwatch.org | 7

Engaging citizen scientists in scientific field research

Conserving Oman’s wild beauty Bashair Al Jabri is a graduate from Nizwa University. She works part-time at Aflaj Research Unit, Nizwa University, with director Dr. Abdullah Al Ghafri.

Bat trapping in Oxford was one of the best experiences ever in my life...

“I was selected to participate in an Earthwatch project through my university. I’m passionate about exploring Oman’s diverse and beautiful beaches, mountains and deserts, and determining how we can protect and benefit from this environment. “In 2014 I took part in a climate change project in Oxford’s Wytham Woods where we learnt different skills including risk assessment, data collection, field project planning and species identification. “This was followed by a woodland habitat conservation project studying the Juniper tree in Oman. “Bat trapping in Oxford was one of the best experiences ever in my life – especially as it ran at night, so I experienced both fear and excitement! The most challenging experience was hiking in the freezing weather on the Jalab al Akhdar project. “I’ve enjoyed sharing my experience with family and friends. I’ve started to grow delicious fruits in our home yard with the help of my father, including Bengal almond (‘bitham’ in the local language), mango, lemon, palm and cherry.”

8 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

Hope for the Arabian Leopard

FOCUS ON OMAN The research and engagement work by Earthwatch and the National Field Research Centre for Environmental Conservation (NFRCEC) continues with four projects in Oman. On the ARABIAN TAHR PROJECT, distribution and occupancy surveys have been extended across the entire Hajar Mountain range, with approximately 140 camera traps set. Recent focus has been potential hotspots that could be critical for this endemic species, and the number of tahr fitted with radio collars has doubled. The WOODLANDS CONSERVATION PROJECT, which focuses on community environmental knowledge and attitudes to conservation, has provided insight into the ecological values and knowledge of local communities. This was achieved through 95 household interviews from 13 settlements and will inform conservation priorities. NFRCEC employees were also trained in vegetation ecology research methods, and completed the first phase of habitat assessment on Jebel Akhdar.

PLUS...

The FALAJ PROJECT completed a detailed topographical map of the Luzugh village falaj water courses and gardens, and recorded coordinates of 8,166 trees, including 6,217 date palms. Water quality surveys were also completed and these data provide a base map for socio-economic and biodiversity research. Aquaponics projects are being investigated with the local community with the aim to set up a pilot, increase economic sustainability of the falaj and encourage improved water management. 14 years of falaj records have also been transcribed and included in a database for analysis. Exploration of the major eastern wadis of JEBEL SAMHAN identified areas of high biodiversity value, which will be the focus of research for this project. In the western wadis of the reserve, botanical surveys were undertaken to study plant diversity.

TO DATE

230

OMANIS HAVE JOINED EARTHWATCH RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

COMPLETING

1,274 FIELD DAYS

OTHER KEY ACHIEVEMENTS In December 2013 the ‘INTERNATIONAL ARABIAN LEOPARD CONFERENCE’ brought together more than 100 delegates from multiple stakeholder groups, facilitated by the IUCN-SSC Cat Specialist Group. Workshops began development of a National Action Plan for the Arabian Leopard, which has been completed and submitted to the government for approval. This year saw completion of the Ministry of Education-endorsed HAJAR MOUNTAIN SERIES EDUCATION PACK. The pack incorporates research and findings from Oman Earthwatch Programme projects

to illustrate to students the importance of their country’s natural heritage and the threats to its rich biodiversity. Finally, we developed the first BESPOKE 12-DAY FIELDWORK AND TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR OMANIS IN THE UK, during which 18 university students and early career conservation professionals improved their field skills such as GPS, navigation, data recording and field safety, and received training in experimental design and Environmental Impact Assessment.

earthwatch.org | 9

Engaging citizen scientists in scientific field research

IN 2014, EARTHWATCH RECEIVED THE PRESTIGIOUS

WORLD TOURISM AWARD

IN RECOGNITION OF OUR MISSION TO PROMOTE A SUSTAINABLE WAY OF LIFE THROUGH EDUCATION AND FIELD RESEARCH.

Earthwatch Expeditions Through Earthwatch expeditions you can experience parts of the world largely untouched by tourists – from hiking off-trail through rugged national parks to handling wild animals under the guidance of trained scientists – while contributing to critical research. earthwatch.org/expeditions ANIMALS OF MALAWI IN THE MAJETE WILDLIFE RESERVE: Poachers and habitat destruction have reduced populations to near-extinction. Join us to collect data for an intensive conservation programme aimed at reintroducing iconic species such as the rhino, leopard and hyena.

10 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

SEA TO TREES AT ACADIA NATIONAL PARK: Help scientists tell the story of how humans are reshaping Acadia in Maine, which they hope will inspire policies that will help safeguard this iconic American habitat.

DISCOVERING SHARKS IN SOUTH AFRICA: Be among the first to research shysharks, catsharks, pajama sharks, and other small shark species. They could disappear before humans get to learn much about them – 25 per cent of the world’s shark and ray species (their relatives) face extinction.

Helping companies take positive environmental action

ne Pristi t res rainfo

Debating responsible palm oil production More than 500 people flocked to London to watch and participate in a lively discussion on the future of oil palm growing.

Palm oil plantatio n

Chairing the event was Vice Chair of the Earthwatch board, DR. MARK COLLINS who said: “This is, in many ways a big success story as we all enjoy the benefits of the products of the oil palm and many people have been brought out of poverty through growing it. But this means there are questions, difficulties and trade-offs of an environmental nature in particular.” DR. GLEN REYNOLDS is director of the South East Asia Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP) and leading Earthwatch scientist for the research project Climate and Landscape Change in Borneo’s Rainforest. Much of the research work that Dr. Reynolds and his team carry out is done in or near badly degraded forest, which has been heavily logged, or in fragmented forest surrounded by plantations. He said:

“No Government can maintain all of its natural resources as pristine – it’s not going to happen. Equally the consequences of rampant uncontrolled development would be catastrophic. So our research is looking to contribute in a space where you can have your cake and at least eat some of it.” Dr. Reynolds added that the aim is for Governments, industry and all policy-makers to ‘swim behind’ science and to base all of their decisions on firm scientific evidence. DARREL WEBBER, Secretary General of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), outlined how his organisation attempts to bring order and sustainability to an industry going through a boom period.

“Palm oil brings great quality infrastructure, mainly because the plant has an economic life cycle of 25 years. So when you build infrastructure you build for 50 years because everybody plans for two rotations.” The event was held at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington in May. More than 100 people also registered to participate in the live webinar. Our other events at the Royal Geographical Society, which are generously supported by the Mitsubishi Corporation, were a debate on whether it is time to reconsider a legal global trade in tiger, elephant, and rhino products and a lecture focusing on environmental conservation practices in the Sultanate of Oman. earthwatch.org | 11

Helping companies take positive environmental action

Creating leaders in sustainability As a direct result of the Sustainability Leadership Programme (SLP), HSBC sustainability leaders across the organisation are supporting the implementation of the HSBC sustainability strategy in innovative ways. Bill Thomas is the Global Head of HSBC HTS Sustainability: "After attending one of the HSBC/ Earthwatch programmes in 2007 I became aware of the problems humans are causing in relationship to Climate Change and resource scarcity. Since then I radically changed my lifestyle to use fewer resources and I have changed my career from IT to Sustainability. “I continue to partner with Earthwatch because of the passion and expertise of its people. “Our senior leaders are very intolerant of what I call 'talking head' facilitators – people who are just doing a training job

Working with Earthwatch has changed my whole life.

12 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

and going through the motions but have no real passion for the subject. We never get this from Earthwatch and this makes all the difference in the world to our leaders. “I believe a good partnership must enhance both organisations for the better and be able to deliver a result that neither of the partners can do individually. Our partnership with Earthwatch strongly demonstrates this aspect of a good partnership.”

CELEBRATING FIVE YEARS The Sustainability Leadership Programme celebrated its fifth year in 2014 and the occasion was marked with a celebratory event at HSBC HQ in London. Guests included sustainability leaders, key HSBC staff, former and planned guest speakers and supply chain partners. In 2014 the Sustainability Leadership Programme has engaged the wider HSBC business, with many leaders coming from banking functions as well as HSBC Technology and Services function. In September 2014, Earthwatch and HSBC ran a SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPIONS PROGRAMME for Global Communications to develop a network which can communicate the sustainability story in their local markets/businesses and identify opportunities for positive action and change. After running a pilot for the COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAMME in October 2013, a second programme was run in Wytham Woods, Oxfordshire in June 2014. The programme brought together 12 relationship managers and sustainability professionals from HSBC and two of their suppliers to explore what makes a truly sustainable supplier-customer relationship and how to make it happen.

PROGRAMMES RUN:

SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS:

237

RESEARCH HOURS CONTRIBUTED:

3,500+

BIODIVERSITY RISK & OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT Earthwatch continues to promote and develop the Biodiversity Risk & Opportunity Assessment (BROA) tool developed with the BAT Biodiversity Partnership.

Other companies are now also using BROA. Earthwatch is helping a company carry out BROA in Brazil nut producing areas of the Bolivian rainforest, and we have also helped major Indian company ITC to use BROA with farming communities in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

earthwatch.org | 13

ÂŠ STEVE GORMAN

BAT companies are completing a second round of BROA assessments in agricultural landscapes in 20 countries in 2014, with support from Earthwatch, Fauna & Flora International and the Tropical Biology Association.

Inspiring environmental leaders to act

Making our landscapes our classroom Charlene Duncan, Teach Earth 2014 participant and primary school teacher in London. “I applied to join Teach Earth because it represented a great opportunity to discuss environmental education with other teachers from a range of institutions in a unique outdoor setting. I also looked forward to participating in scientific research. “I loved being able to benefit from the expertise and enthusiasm of others. It helped to renew my own enthusiasm for outdoor education and I came away with lots of ideas to try in the classroom. “As maths co-ordinator I am planning a maths week with the theme of maths in nature for our whole school. I have learned that education for sustainable development does not have to be complicated. It all starts by getting children to engage with nature. “Being able to leave everyday pressures of teaching behind to be reflective about my own practices was invaluable.”

Teach Earth 2014 brought together educators from across the UK. The diverse group included teachers and educators of English to geography, from biology to foundation studies; and those working across all age ranges. The group engaged in citizen science linked to climate change and sustainability. Being in their ‘outdoor classroom’ enabled them to test and discover the value of science. There were practical sessions including tree width measuring, assessing leaf litter content, studying tree respiration, bat monitoring, moth trapping, and all the activities of FreshWater watch.

PARTICIPANTS COLLECTED BIOMASS DATA FROM

380 TREES

THE TEACH EARTH TEAM INSTALLED FOUR ROOTCORES TO MEASURE ROOT PRODUCTIVITY

THE 2014 TEACH EARTH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REACH OVER

14,000 STUDENTS

14 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

Inspiring environmental leaders to act

Global skills sharing between businesses and protected areas “Joining the Earth Skills Network was the best decision in my professional life. The content and experience was rich and, more importantly, the networking has been amazing.” Abdul-Kareem Fuseine, manager of Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site

Every success story starts with a dream. Do you dream of a better future for your protected area?

PROJECT

BETTER WORLD Project Better World is a partnership between Earthwatch and Shell. Shell employees are selected to join an Earthwatch project that explores a theme of relevance to Shell’s business such as the impacts of climate change or habitat conversion on biodiversity. Earthwatch has also developed an Enhanced Learning Programme (ELP), which aims to inspire, educate and enable participants as sustainability advocates, through a structured learning programme in addition to the core research activities.

100 MORE THAN

700

SHELL EMPLOYEES IN 2014 EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAMME SINCE IT BEGAN IN 1998

IN 2014, PARTICIPANTS JOINED

RESEARCH PROJECTS

IN AUSTRALIA, BORNEO, BRAZIL, CANADA, INDIA, FRANCE AND THE UK

Acumen in business planning and organisational management is fundamental to the survival of any business, but is not typically part of the training available to Protected Area Managers. For six years Earthwatch has trained business leaders to be coaches and mentors for Protected Area managers. The programme started as ‘Business Skills for World Heritage’ and has evolved into the Earth Skills Network (ESN). Through ESN, senior business employees embed these skills within the conservation world, helping Protected Area staff to manage human and financial resources more effectively, resulting in more sustainable operations. Each year, Earthwatch-trained business mentors and protected area staff come together for an immersive residential training programme, set in an inspiring and relevant conservation setting. In 2014, following

successful training in Borneo and Kenya, Earthwatch established a new site in South Africa. The training was attended by 18 staff representing protected areas, management authorities or governments from South Africa, Cape Verde, Ghana and the Ivory Coast. They spent 10 days with six business mentors recruited from Shell, learning about the business planning process, developing leadership and management skills, and agreeing a strategy for on-going collaboration that will ensure lessons learnt are put into practice. For the Shell staff involved in the programme as mentors this training is the beginning of at least one year of continued work, which will support business planning to take root within a nominated protected area. In 2014 33 business mentors were trained, mentoring 94 Protected Area representatives across 20 countries.

EMPLOYEES WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ENHANCED LEARNING PROGRAMME IN THE UK AND BRAZIL

EVERY IN 2014

ELP PARTICIPANT REPORTED THAT THEIR EXPEDITION EXPERIENCE HELPED THEM TO CONNECT WITH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT SHELL

91%

LEFT THE PROGRAMME FEELING CONFIDENT THAT THEY COULD TAKE ACTION FOR SUSTAINABILITY AT WORK

earthwatch.org | 15

Our global reach

WYTHAM WOODS (UK) Earthwatch’s work researching carbon cycling in fragmented forests in Wytham Woods gained significant coverage in 2014. It was published in three academic journals and featured on the BBC’s Countryfile. Three years of research, supported by HSBC, has found that a cold spring in 2010 resulted in 37 per cent less growth in that year and that smaller ‘under-cover’ trees are the most impacted. With more extreme weather events predicted in the future, it’s clear that climate change could strongly influence how our forests grow, and how much carbon they can store.

FRENCH PYRENEES In the high slopes of the French Pyrenees climate change is altering the landscape. Our citizen scientists weigh and measure small mammals, find tawny owls and other bird species by spotting nests and listening for their songs, observe bumblebees and detect bats. These tasks help researchers find out how animals are faring, and how best to manage key species such as the brown bear. Research also determines when natural events, like plant flowering and pollination, happen. Understanding the timings helps scientists learn if species’ life cycles are becoming out-of-sync with each other, which could have serious consequences for the health of this ecosystem.

CHURCHILL, ALASKA Our Climate Change at the Arctic’s Edge project studies shrinking sea ice, retreating glaciers, migrating tree lines and looks at what these climate-related changes mean for the Arctic, and for all of us.

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3 9

22 12

15 1713

23 24

Earthwatch scientist Dr. Ana Paula Giorgi is working in the Atlantic Rainforest to identify opportunities for biodiversity conservation arising from changes in Government regulations, and farmers’ perceptions of the benefits they get from what remains of the forest. Dr. Giorgi’s team surveyed 180 farmers around the Serra do Itajaί National Park. Data on key bird and mammal species are used to produce ecological niche models to identify areas of conservation priority, and guide the ongoing field-based sampling by Earthwatch volunteers. GIS maps of the study area created by the Earthwatch team enable the researchers to model land use scenarios and conservation priorities. This approach has attracted the interest of the local and regional government as they look to develop policies on Payment for Ecosystem Services and creation of ecological corridors.

KENYA

The tags on the map represent areas where we have an expedition. To find out more about these and to book your place go to http://eu.earthwatch.org/expeditions 16 | Earthwatch 2014 Annual Review

BRAZIL

The Mikoko Pamoja (Mangroves Together) project represents the outcome of five years' hard work by the research team and the community around Gazi Bay, Kenya. With generous support from Aviva plc we were able to provide startup costs for the enterprise, which is the first in the world to generate certified blue carbon credits. Sales of the credits started this year and will form the basis of a sustainable income stream for the community to support their future development plans. This year Earthwatch offset part of our carbon footprint through purchase of Mikoko Pamoja credits. With generous funding from Saudi Aramco we expect to continue to support new research on this project in 2015, and hopefully to be able to welcome teams of volunteers once again.

OMAN

HONG KONG

Ten species of invertebrate that are new to Oman have been discovered following the launch of the Mobile Environmental Research Unit. The unit aims to collect biodiversity information in four reserve areas. Over five months they captured 2,000 insect specimens, deployed 700 small mammal traps and documented 70 moth species.

ClimateWatch saw the development of eight trails across Hong Kong, more than 270 public citizens engaged and 3,000 data sets collected. The programme was also featured in U Magazine and Now TV Unlimited 105 in Hong Kong. Climatewatcher Asta Wong: “Instead of joining ecotours where the guides tell you what species of trees and living things are, my family and I get involved by looking at the trees up close – details like flower, fruits, opened seed pods. We learn so much more through observation.”

INDIA

40 43

26 31

42 35 34

Earthwatch India has been selected for the Small Grants Programme for implementation of energy efficient stoves for forest conservation at Sirsi Forests in the Western Ghats. The project is using citizen science to enable the forest dependent communities to adopt sustainable use of forest resources. Under this project, locally-developed, fuelefficient devices will be installed in more than 400 households in seven villages that are predominantly dependent on forests for fuel. Sirsi has been the site for the research and learning programme with Professor N.H. Ravindranath of the Indian Institute of Science. The programme has contributed to the scientific understanding of climate change impacts on forests.

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BORNEO In 2010 Earthwatch and The Royal Society South East Asia Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP) launched a research programme to assess the ecosystem functioning and restoration requirements of Borneo’s degraded rainforests. This work was sponsored by Shell, who also mobilised their employees to support data collection and learn about environmental issues. The research highlighted a number of major issues relating to soil erosion and the lack of regeneration of dipterocarps – the dominant tree species – in fragmented forests. Building on these findings, the next phase of research, which began in 2014, seeks to inform sustainable plantation management, habitat restoration, the conservation of biodiversity and maintenance of ecosystem services at a landscape level. Outcomes will be disseminated to key stakeholders, including helping to test and develop the RSPO’s principles and criteria for sustainability in oil palm agriculture.

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Finance

Financial Summary Thanks to strong partnerships as well as support from individuals, Earthwatch Europe has maintained the impact of its programmes around the world despite the unsettled state of the economy. Our income, excluding endowment funds, has grown from £6.8m to £7.1m this year. We are proud to partner with a number of corporate organisations who show a commitment to our values of engaging people in science to create lasting change, and a number of organisations stand out. Working with HSBC we have continued to engage people in collecting data on freshwater quality and quantity across the globe, engaging employees and the public. Our partnership with Shell creates a wide range of engagement opportunities as well as support for our research in Borneo. Through our partnership with Mitsubishi, we are able to fund research in the Seychelles and create opportunities for emerging scientists from less developed nations to engage with it. In addition to our corporate partners, we continued our successful partnership with the government of Oman, pioneering research and environmental engagement in the country. Looking ahead, we want to invest some of the funds raised through the success of our corporate partnerships to increase our impact by giving opportunities to as many people as possible to engage with our work. We are in the process of setting up a new citizen science project, which aims to involve the public as well as some key groups such as teachers, in order to begin to meet this aim. We would like to thank our current donors and appeal to new ones to support us in our mission.

INCOME SOURCES BY TYPE: TOTAL INCOME £7.1M

Corporate partnerships______________ 67.3% Unrestricted corporate sponsorship____ 3.7% Individual giving____________________ 1.1% Trusts and Foundations______________ 0.4% Partnerships with governments________ 27.1% Investment income__________________ 0.3%

EXPENDITURE BY ACTIVITY: TOTAL EXPENDITURE £5.9M

Enagaging people___________________ 75.3% Research__________________________ 17.5% Fundraising costs___________________ 0.5% Support costs______________________ 5.8% Governance________________________ 0.9%

These diagrams are an illustration of Earthwatch Europe’s income and expenditure for the financial year ending 30 September 2014.

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Acknowledgements

Donations received and acknowledgements made to the following organisations and individuals: Corporate supporters 2014:

Trustees:

ACE UK/Instinctif Partners British American Tobacco plc eltromat GmbH HSBC Holdings plc Mitsubishi Corporation Mondel¯ ez International Penfield Royal Dutch Shell plc Saudi Aramco Syngenta Tate & Lyle The Crown Estate The Jordans & Ryvita Company Ltd Waitrose

Louise Barrett, Chair Dr. Mark Collins, Vice Chair Anthony McMahon, Treasurer Andrew Christie Richard Donkin Dr. John Hemming CMG Judith Mosely Herschel Post MBE Professor Dan Rubenstein Nicholas Dobson Lisa King Joseph Proctor III

We would like to acknowledge the support of: Sir Erik Bennett Geoffrey and Caroline de Jager David Earl Paul Gamel Rupert and Jan Gray Professor Wes Harry Edward and Susan Hoare Reggie Heyworth Richard Lord Anthony and Alison McMahon Mr and Mrs Charles Marshall George and Judith Mason Nigel Peters Sir John and Lady Gwenda Scarlett Neville Shulman CBE and Emma Shulman Paul and Mary Slawson Jack Whitehall Corinna Wiltshire Lynn and Natalia Woods Joseph Proctor III

Trusts & Foundations, Governments & Major Donors: The Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman The Boultbee Foundation The Garfield Weston Foundation The Jersey Millennium Fund Earthwatch McCrae Fund Mitsubishi Corporation Fund for Europe and Africa The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation The Shell Foundation Earthwatch Shulman Awards

The main officers and professional advisers are:

Advisers Emeritus: Sir Crispin Tickell GCMG Professor Ian Swingland Professor David Macdonald, CBE (Chair Emeritus)

Science Advisers: Professor M James Crabbe Professor Mark Huxham Professor Yadvinder Malhi Professor N.H. Ravindranath Professor Hazel Rymer Professor M.S. Swaminathan

Chief Executive Officer: Sue Holden

CONSERVATION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH TRUST Earthwatch Institute (Europe) Earthwatch (Europe) Earthwatch Institute Charity registration number: 1094467 Company registration number: 4373313 Office address: Mayfield House, 256 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DE, United Kingdom

Earthwatch gratefully acknowledges its Ambassadors: Kate Humble Martha Kearney George McGavin Paul Rose

COVER IMAGE: © MILES WILLIS BACK COVER IMAGE: © MICRO LOMOTH PAGE 5 ICONS: MONKEY © GLYPH; FROG © DEBRA HUGHES; DNA PLANT © CHRISTOS GEORGHIOU; WAVE © MORRISON77; FISH © ALEXVECTOR (ALL SHUTTERSTOCK.COM) ALL OTHER IMAGES © EARTHWATCH

DESIGN: CATHERINE CHARNOCK CREATIVE WWW.CATHERINECHARNOCK.CO.UK

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Section heading here

Working with Earthwatch has changed my whole life. I continue to partner with Earthwatch because of the passion and expertise of its people. Bill Thomas, Global Head of HSBC HTS Sustainability

“FreshWater Watch sparked my interest as it was something different and water is going to be a huge issue for us this century." Liz Horner, citizen scientist

“Bat trapping in Oxford was one of the best experiences ever in my life.” Bashair Al Jabri, citizen scientist

“I loved being able to benefit from the expertise and enthusiasm of others. It helped to renew my own enthusiasm for outdoor education and I came away with lots of ideas to try in the classroom." Charlene Duncan, Teacher

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