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Rainforest Trust projects thrive thanks to the important conservation work of people on the ground. Our Voices from the Rainforest series brings you news from our projects in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific — from the perspectives of those working in and for the rainforests.

Using Social Media as a Conservation Tool

Samuel Ngueping is a Protected Area Manager with Rainforest Trust Partner Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF) in Cameroon. He began working at the ERuDeF Institute in 2013 as Program Development Officer and since, has worked there for many years in several different capacities. Since April 2018, he has been stationed at the ERuDeF head office in Buea, Southwest Region, working as the Director of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management in the Conservation department.

Samuel (holding sign) participating in a sensitization meeting in Bechati. Photo by ERuDeF.

Why did you become a conservationist?

Since childhood, I have had a passion for nature. While attending primary and secondary school in the Western Region of Cameroon, I found through my studies that in the 1940s there were many local, threatened wildlife species, including African Forest Elephants, Lions and Leopards. I discovered that the Santchou Game Reserve was an important elephant hotspot in the region around that time. But unfortunately, I have realized that there are no more elephants in the reserve and no more large mammal species in the entire Western Region of Cameroon.

Because of my dream to see the charismatic African Forest Elephant, I decided to become a conservationist. This motivation prompted me to register in an undergraduate program in Botany at the University of Buea where there are many elephant ranges. I also earned my Master’s Degree in Protected Area Management. All these trainings have enabled me to acquire practical skills in the field of conservation in order to better contribute to the sustainable management of biodiversity as a whole.

What inspires you most or makes you proud about being a Fellow?

Being a Rainforest Trust Fellow connects me with renowned conservationists and allows me to exchange field experiences in diverse conservation specialties with other experts in the field. This lets me contribute the little I know with peers to promote a safe environment where man can live in harmony with nature.

Tell us about a time that you felt you had made a difference as a conservationist.

The time I felt I have made a difference in conservation was when I created my Facebook page promoting wildlife conservation. I frequently publish articles there promoting biodiversity conservation.

Tell us about a conservation challenge in your job.

Insufficient funding to tackle issues related to conservation in different landscapes; insufficient skill in GIS, wildlife survey and data analysis; insufficient working equipment like cameras, laptops, GPS and bikes.

Tell us about a conservation success.

I have succeeded in reaching millions of people through an awareness campaign for conservation during school and community environmental education and with my Facebook page.

I also engaged many stakeholders (community members, council, civil society organizations, NGOs and government ministries) in the process of the creation and management of the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary and the proposed Njoagwi-Fotabong III-Essoh Attah Wildlife Sanctuary.

I participated in many landscape restoration projects and planted more than 5,000 agroforestry trees through the collaboration of students and community members. In addition, I successfully coordinated the research project for the management of human-elephant conflict in Mount Cameroon National Park in 2012.

Conservation helps us manage the natural resources we have in a sustainable way without compromising the benefits of future generations. It also helps me protect my own life because I can equally be affected by climate change if I don’t act now. Conservation helps me to live in harmony with other living creatures around me.

What has surprised you the most in the field?

I went to the village of Bechati in the Wabane Subdivision, Lebialem Division for environmental education and noticed that children were going to school without shoes and yet still managed to earn good grades. This made me realize that what matters in life is not the amount of wealth you have, but managing what you do have the best way you can.

Header image: Samuel (center, orange shirt) working with local students on a landscape restoration project at a local nursery. Photo by ERuDeF.

Rainforest Trust projects thrive thanks to the important conservation work of people on the ground. Our Voices from the Rainforest series brings you news from our projects in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific — from the perspectives of those working in and for the rainforests.

Discovering the Smithsonia viridiflora

The Prachitgad Community Reserve protects key habitats for a variety of mammals and birds. The area is home to many endemic and threatened plant species, including the herbaceous flora, which have not been studied in the north Western Ghats. The AERF team has documented 118 herbs and counting.

Gunwant working in the field. Photo by AERF.

Orchidaceae is a family of epiphytic and terrestrial herbs with special microhabitat requirements. They are a favourite of pollinators, too. So far, the team has recorded more than 10 species of this herb family within a comparatively small area, near the crest-line of the Western Ghats mountain range.

The most significant find of this year is an epiphytic orchid, Smithisona viridiflora, recorded in the post-monsoon season of 2018. Smithsonia viridiflora was previously known by various synonyms such as Gastrochilus dalzellianus (Santapau) Santapau & Kopadia, Sarcocholis dalzellianus Santapau and Aerides dalzelliana (Santapau) Garay. It is epiphytic on Lagerstroemia microcarpa, Ficus microcarpa, Memecylon umbellatum, Ficus racemosa and Oeal dioica. It is also seen on a rare, giant tree, Terameles nudiflora.

In the Prachitgad Community Reserve, Smithsonia viridiflora is found on Carissa congesta, an old species of shrub. It is recorded in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. In Maharashtra, it is recorded in the areas of Thane, Pune, Kolhapur, Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri. It is endemic to Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, and found in evergreen forests. According to the IUCN Red List, it is Endangered.

The species is suffering from a decline in their natural habitat due to forest degradation and a decrease in the number of evergreen trees, its host species. We will continue to document more sites in the reserve that contain host trees during the post-monsoon season of 2019. We are excited to see this rare endemic orchid in the reserve, which reiterates the importance of conservation in this unique forest near the crestline of mountains.

A total of 319 plant species are recorded in the Prachitgad Community Reserve. Forty-eight of them are endemic to the Western Ghats, while 19 are listed on the IUCN Red List. This amount of plant diversity indicates the ecological significance of this reserve and its conservation importance in the North Western Ghats.

Smithsonia viridiflora on the Prachitgad reserve. Photo by AERF.

Header image: Mountains in the Prachitgad Reserve. Photo by AERF. 

Rainforest Trust projects thrive thanks to the important conservation work of people on the ground. Our Voices from the Rainforest series brings you news from our projects in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific — from the perspectives of those working in and for the rainforests.

Educating Future Conservationists 

Rendra Bayu works as a Field Coordinator with Yayasan Konservasi Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia (RASI). He specializes in government and private sector engagement for protected area management and public outreach. He also helps run an English tutoring center for underprivileged students. Rendra’s education background lends itself well to spreading awareness of conservation and the species he works to protect.

Rendra leading a community meeting. Photo by RASI.

Why did you become a conservationist?

At first, I was interested in learning more about Pesut Mahakam (also known as the Pesut River Dolphin) and other endangered species from Kalimantan. Growing up, I only knew of their statues and that they were extremely rare. When I started browsing the internet, I came across RASI and learned about their conservation activities and wanted to get more involved.

Because my background is in education, I wanted to spread the message that the Pesut is not extinct yet and that with the help of local communities we can spread awareness and make a change. I feel inspired that I have the opportunity to share about the unique and endemic species of Kalimantan with the Fellow international network.

Video from RASI of a Pesut River Dolphin rescue, untranslated.

Tell us about a time that you felt you had made a difference as a conservationist.

When I campaigned to raise awareness in schools along the Mahakam River. I can see that many more young people understand and care about the Pesut River Dolphin. They have started uploading videos or photos on social media when the dolphins pass their village.

Also, I once assisted in rescuing a river dolphin that got trapped behind the river bank and was cut off from the river. After our team removed all the obstacles on the flooded bank we were able to make the dolphin move through a small opening and get it back to the main river.

Rendra working on the Mahakam River in East Borneo. Photo by RASI.

What is the hardest part of your job?

When doing surveys and observations from early morning to late afternoon in tropical heat, it can be quite challenging, but fortunately we do surveys as a team so we can motivate each other and keep focused.

Tell us about a conservation success.

We just finished three sub-district workshop meetings, which were very successful. Twenty-six villages all signed to be part of a protected area. We even got additional reserve size for core zones.

Also, we managed to change thrashing behavior in 100 floating raft households for the moment and aim to add at least 400 more within the protected area.

What has surprised you the most in the field?

When I was doing interviews with 80 gillnet fishermen, I realized that I was lucky to have my boatmen who were able to speak the local language. The local dialect is so different from mainstream Indonesian so I was able to learn and understand it better.

Header image: Rendra conducting a study on the Mahakam River. Photo by RASI. 

Earlier this month, Rainforest Trust held the fourth annual Partner Retreat at the International Conservation House in Warrenton, Virginia. The Partner Retreat is a week-long opportunity for dedicated conservationists in the global Rainforest Trust network to connect with one another and staff. Each day, visitors participated in training and seminars in a variety of conservation management and outreach subjects.

The focus of the retreat has previously been on capacity building for chief executives and organizational leaders in conservation. But this year, the event focused on Rainforest Trust Conservation Fellows. “We changed the program this year as a reflection on our commitment to the Fellows and Guardians program,” said Mark Gruin, Acting CEO of Rainforest Trust. “We developed course content directly related to them to reinforce their personal and professional growth.”

Rainforest Trust Conservation Fellows. Photo by Rainforest Trust.

In the past few retreats, Rainforest Trust offered workshops covering dense topics like fundraising strategies and long-term conservation planning. But Fellows are on the front lines of conservation and spend the majority of their time working in the field. So instead of packing in as much detail as possible throughout the week, the agenda focused on a few practical conservation management topics.

One of the most important aspects of the Fellows work is conservation monitoring. Several of the workshops focused on surveying protected areas, including a training on the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART). SMART is a digital monitoring tool that allows users to measure, evaluate and improve the effectiveness of their patrols and conservation initiatives. Two experts from the conservation technology organization Wildlife Protection Solutions conducted the training, combining classroom and field work. They provided each fellow with a pre-loaded, field-ready smartphone and gave an overview of the software. The practice field exercises took place around Rainforest Trust’s campus. “The SMART training has immediate protection benefits,” said Gruin. “The Fellows will take a more-than-basic knowledge of the tool back to their organizations for more effective patrols and monitoring.”  

In addition to monitoring techniques, Fellows learned various methods of conservation storytelling. The Rainforest Trust Outreach team developed a series of in-depth communications workshops to refine Fellows’ skills and contribute to their organizations’ outreach. Workshop topics included written storytelling and best practices for social media. The team also interviewed each participant about their work to better understand and communicate their inspiring stories with the world. Rainforest Trust digital experts offered courses on filming and photographing wildlife in their natural habitat, including the use of drone technology.  

The retreat provided staff with the opportunity to talk with the Fellows face-to-face. This type of communication is usually difficult due to their busy schedules or remote locations. Throughout the week, Fellows often met with the Rainforest Trust Conservation team in small groups to discuss project-related issues.

Sharing stories from the field and socializing was a large part of the retreat. In addition to the daily lunches and dinners, Rainforest Trust staff volunteered their time to show the Fellows around Virginia. “For some of the Fellows, this is their first time leaving their country or even their village,” said Gruin. “Interacting with people from other cultures is so important for growth, not only amongst the Fellows, but for our staff as well.” This year, social activities included a local winery tour, walking around Historic Old Town Warrenton and visiting popular stores and restaurants.

The Fellows left with enhanced outreach and monitoring techniques, along with field supplies provided by Rainforest Trust. The retreat was an important success for all involved and Rainforest Trust plans to continue hosting Conservation Fellows at future retreats. “We hope the Fellows apply what they learned throughout the week in their work and find further motivation to continue paving the way in conservation,” said Gruin. “We recognize that our Fellows are the future of conservation and want to provide them with all the tools and training necessary to succeed.”

A collection of photos from the Partner Retreat. Photos by Rainforest Trust.

Header image: The Fellows enjoying Drone Training. Photo by Rainforest Trust. 

London-based artist Abigail Brown dedicates her career to creating art inspired by the world’s unique and endangered species. And last month, she collaborated with Rainforest Trust on a project with direct benefits to wildlife. She drew a series of endangered animals and donated 10% of the profits from each print to Rainforest Trust.

Brown has had a fascination with animals since childhood. “I’m not too sure why it’s always been animals,” she said. “If it’s an echo of childhood toys or a desire to have a pet but never being allowed one, animals have always had the strongest appeal to me.”  

Her passion carried over into her career, where she creates animal-related artwork through various media.

Pangolin and her pangopup. Art by Abigail Brown.

In school, she focused on painting and drawing. But after graduating with a degree in Surface Decoration and Printed Textiles, she explored working in fabric. She practiced stitchwork and creating 3D pieces by making animal plush toys. In more recent years she has moved into sculpture. “I have been working with paper mâché, metal, wood-carving and ceramics,” said Brown. “It is always centered on the animal kingdom and with a great fascination for seeking out the lesser-known weird and wonderful species.”

But researching these species over the years has also made her more aware of their plight. This knowledge fueled her decision to incorporate raising awareness of the various threats to wildlife in her work. 

Critically Endangered Hirola. Art by Abigail Brown.

A few years ago, Brown met Rainforest Trust’s Chief Conservation Officer, Angela Yang. Yang came across Brown’s Okapi sculpture and commissioned her to make a series of endangered animal sculptures for the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2016. When Yang joined Rainforest Trust, she made sure to inform Abigail of the organization’s mission.

Now occupied with so much work in other mediums, Brown has had less time to draw. But she started up again when her husband

gave her an iPad. She began using a drawing app, which inspired her to develop a project that would help her practice while benefiting an important cause.

“It struck me that a wonderful project would be one that helped a greater purpose: highlighting some of the planet’s endangered species,” said Brown. “It seemed like a great idea to approach Angela [Yang] about, so that the prints I made could benefit an organization helping those animals, with the hope that people might feel encouraged to make donations.”

Critically Endangered Saola. Art by Abigail Brown.

The collaboration has benefited both parties. The Rainforest Trust team has enjoyed working with Brown and learning more about her work. And Brown has been able to practice drawing again and learn about the species Rainforest Trust protects. “Working with the teams at Rainforest Trust introduced me to many species I hadn’t ever heard of,” she said.  “It was equally informative for me as my audience.”

Visit Brown’s website to learn more about her and purchase a print.

Header image: The Rainforest Trust Conservation Team holding their prints. Photo by Rainforest Trust.