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Winners Future For Nature Awards 2011!
On Tuesday, April 5th the ‘Future for Nature’ Awards 2011 were presented at Burgers’ Zoo. This is an annual award of €50,000.- for the three most talented (nature) conservation entrepreneurs. Future for Nature stimulates enterprising young people, who dedicate themselves to the protection of endangered wild plants and animals all over the world. The winners are the inspiring force behind the international (nature) conservation entrepreneurship.
Ofir Drori (Israel), Barbara Galletti Vernazzani (Chile) and Corneille Ewango (Congo) have shown so much guts, daring and initiative that they were the ones to receive the Future for Nature Award. Future for Nature prefers to call them (nature) conservation entrepreneurs rather than conservationists. The current international conservation work involves much more than just saving animals and protecting plants. The protectors have to deal with corruption, political resistance or even personal threats, which is why they have to have perseverance, like true entrepreneurs.
“Undertaking a project means you have to be able to see and use opportunities. Deal with threats creatively. Bring people together and make them enthusiastic for a cause. This is true for entrepreneurs and in particular for (nature) conservation entrepreneurs: young people, who, often under difficult circumstances, take the initiative to protect endangered species of wild animals and plants", according to Alex van Hooff, Managing Director of Burgers’ Zoo and board member of Future for Nature.
Frans de Waal, internationally renowned primatologist, handed the awards to the three winners. De Waal attempts to bring people and animals closer together through studies and reflections in this area. This contributes to nature preservation, because it provides knowledge and insight in animals, in particular primates.
The winners
Ofir Drori received the Future for Nature Award for his admirable efforts to protect wild animals like chimpanzees and elephants in Cameroon from illegal trade. With the foundation of his Last Great Ape Organisation (LAGA) in 2002, he and the Cameroon Government succeeded in successfully catching and trying many poachers. The surrounding countries have started using the strategy of this organisation in order to also fight the illegal trade there.
Barbara Galletti Vernazzani accepted the award for the essential protection of the blue whale along the Chilean coast. In 2001 she founded the Cetacean Conservation Centre and later also developed a ‘spotting’ network to locate sea mammals, amongst which the blue whale. After eight months of campaigning Barbara and her colleagues finally obtained support with the action ‘Chile 2008, A Whale Sanctuary’. The Government passed a law that ensured the protection of the whales and dolphins.
Professor Frans Bongers, promoter of the dissertation of Corneille Ewango, received the award for Corneille Ewango. Corneille Ewango received the Award because he has shown excellent leadership and perseverance in his attempts to protect the endangered animal and plant species in the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Through study, among others in the herbarium he created in the forest, community-based control and education, Corneille made a significant contribution to the survival of among others the Okapi (a giraffe-like mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest).
About Future for Nature
Future for Nature stands for the preservation of nature for current and future generations. Since 2008 the Foundation accomplishes this by inspiring young people to dedicate themselves to protect nature, by acquiring more financial support from funds and private donations for the presentation of the Awards, and by creating an active network of leading conservationists for coaching, supporting and the exchange of experiences of other (nature) conservation entrepreneurs.
Partners of Future for Nature
In order to stimulate the future (nature) conservation entrepreneurs of The Netherlands, Future for Nature collaborates with Klasse (Classroom) TV and Uitgeverij Leopold. (Publishing company). Future for Nature contributes to the transfer of knowledge between a teacher and students via Klasse TV. One of this year’s winners will play the leading role in a new series of books called ‘Dierenredders’ (Animal rescuers) published by Leopold. In addition in 2012 National Geographic The Netherlands-Belgium will join in with the project ‘Emerging Nature Photographer Award’. This is an award to encourage budding photographers into contributing to the protection of nature and the awareness thereof. The best photographer will get the opportunity to visit a project of one of the Award winners and do a report on it for National Geographic.
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