皇冠体育app

Wild tulips, food security and coastal and forest habitat conservation are at the heart of the 32 new international conservation projects set to be awarded a share of 拢8.2 million from the UK government鈥檚 .

Recent reports on international nature have put the issue of species loss high on the nation鈥檚 agenda. Last week, the report showed nearly a million species are in danger of extinction and the Darwin Initiative is part of the UK government鈥檚 response to this emerging issue.

This latest round of funding, the twenty-fifth since the birth of the Darwin Initiative in 1992, is putting an emphasis on nature and health and providing security of food supply to rural communities in some of the most remote parts of the globe.

Environment Minister Th茅r猫se Coffey will hear more about on-going Darwin-backed projects led by when she visits and meets the team in Cheshire today (10 May).

Environment Minister Th茅r猫se Coffey said:

Nature matters, and the Darwin Initiative continues to support hundreds of projects that restore and enhance wildlife and nature.

皇冠体育appse schemes are helping nature and our wider environment, delivering clean air and water, sustainable food supplies, and recovery and resilience to natural disasters.

That is why I am delighted to announce another 拢8 million of funding for these crucial projects. Our government is taking action at home and abroad to ensure we are the first generation to leave our environment in a better state than we found it.

Twenty-fifth round

is a grants scheme that helps to protect nature and the natural environment around the globe.

Many of the applications reflect the UK government鈥檚 25 Year Environment Plan commitments to protect the marine environment, to secure the benefits of biodiversity for the poorest communities, and to help prevent the extinction of species. 皇冠体育app 25th round of funding comes during the government鈥檚 Year of Green Action, a year-long drive to help people to connect with, protect and enhance nature.

Projects supported by are illustrative of a 鈥榳in-win鈥� approach, encouraging sustainable livelihoods whilst conserving some of the world鈥檚 iconic and endangered species and landscapes, which benefits us all.

皇冠体育app projects set to benefit from the twenty-fifth round of funding include:

• Fauna & Flora International鈥檚 project to secure the future and resilience of wild tulips and pastoral communities in the Kyrgyzstan mountains, which are vital to local community livelihoods
• ZSL鈥檚 work in Nepal on a project called 鈥楪hodaghodi鈥檚 Guardians: Communities restoring a Ramsar wetland at watershed scale鈥� to increase well-being and water security whilst protecting biodiversity
• 皇冠体育app Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh鈥檚 project 鈥楰now your onions: sustainable plant use in Tajikistan鈥�, leading to increased income, access to locally grown produce and increased capacity to cultivate produce
• 皇冠体育app World Vegetable Center鈥檚 project 鈥楾raditional African vegetables strengthen food and nutrition security in Madagascar鈥�, to secure benefits of agro-biodiversity for poor farmer households
• And WWT鈥檚 project 鈥楨nhancing wetland resilience for improved biodiversity and livelihoods in Cambodia鈥� will work in internationally important Lower Mekong Delta to promote sustainable livelihoods and restore wildlife habitat.

Chester Zoo

Chester Zoo has been a leading partner on five Darwin Initiative projects since 2007 and Environment Minister Th茅r猫se Coffey will visit later today for an update on their most recent project working with Andean 鈥榮pectacled鈥� bears in South America.

Speaking about Chester Zoo鈥檚 projects, Minister Coffey said:

Chester Zoo is a leading conservation organisation and has demonstrated how to achieve successful outcomes for nature around the globe by making excellent use of the Darwin Initiative funding.

Dr Mark Pilgrim, Chief Executive Officer at Chester Zoo, said:

One million species are at risk of extinction. But Darwin Initiative funding has been vital in helping us to tackle human wildlife conflict worldwide - working side by side with local communities, protecting bears in Bolivia, elephants in India and tigers in Nepal. Conservation projects like these are urgent and critical. Our planet depends on them.

For over 10 years has been working to reduce human-elephant conflict. Conflict between elephants and people is a challenge in Assam and is unsustainable for both the survival of the elephants and the livelihoods of the local people.