Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

Carr Foundation Joins International Conservation Union

Jan 25, 2009 - Barcelona, Spain

At the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain in October 2008, the Carr Foundation was officially accepted for membership to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network; it is a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries.

The mission of IUCN is to influence, encourage, and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable.  Like IUCN, the Gorongosa National Park Restoration Project’s mission is to restore and protect the greater Gorongosa ecosystem and provide sustainable human development in the Park and its surrounding buffer zone.  The Project envisions a greater Gorongosa region where diverse, sustainable ecosystems and healthy, self-reliant lifestyles positively support each other.

Voting for IUCN initiatives at the assembly in Barcelona

For sixty years, IUCN has led the development of conservation science and knowledge, and brought together governments, NGOs, scientists, companies and community organizations to help the world make better conservation and development decisions.  The Conservation Union also develops and supports cutting edge conservation science, particularly in species, ecosystems, biodiversity, and the impact these have on human livelihoods.  IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.  Lastly, IUCN helps implement laws, policies, and best practices by mobilizing organizations, providing resources, training people and monitoring results.

The Carr Foundation’s Gorongosa National Park Restoration Project sought membership to IUCN to be able to work with other groups to find pragmatic solutions to today’s pressing conservation and development challenges.  Park scientists and staff are now a part of a large network that supports scientific research.

Voting for IUCN initiatives at the assembly in Barcelona

The objective of IUCN’s World Conservation Congress was to share, formulate, and find ideas, actions, and solutions for a diverse and sustainable world.   Carr Foundation President Greg Carr and staff members Bill Wright, Amy Gambrill, and Carlos Bento attended discussion sessions and lectures at the Conservation Congress from October 5-14, 2008, in Barcelona, Spain, and formally accepted the Carr Foundation's membership to IUCN. Carlos Bento presented information about Gorongosa’s work to protect the antelope population from poaching at a discussion roundtable.  Bill Wright voted on pressing conservation issues and IUCN direction during the assembly portion of the meeting. They were joined by more than 8,000 of the world’s leading decision makers in sustainable development to debate, share, network, learn, commit, vote, and decide.  As a result of the conference, the Gorongosa Project made important connections with a variety of other conservation professionals across the globe.