Swimming in the wild

Wilderness International is a nonprofit environmental organization with a single mission: to protect the Earth’s last remaining unique forests and wilderness areas forever. To achieve this, Wilderness International purchases land through land registry entries to ensure its legal and permanent protection. These land purchases are funded by donations for so-called wilderness sponsorships. Wilderness sponsors receive a personalized certificate with the exact geographic coordinates of the protected forest area.

WI Germany and WI Canada were founded in 2008 by 25 people from six countries, representing 24 different professional fields and ranging in age from 18 to 69. In 2019, the Peruvian organization dedicated to protecting the tropical rainforest joined the group. Today, Wilderness International consists of three sister foundations: 

In addition to the founding donors, Wilderness International Germany is supported by eight members of the Board of Trustees, three members of the Executive Board, our operational team, many volunteers, and countless donors, partners, sponsors, and supporters. You can learn more about this on the page “Wilderness International Germany”.

At Wilderness International Canada, alongside Tobias Hürten and Kai Andersch, Marco Lou, Tyler Bruce, and Stephen Gabrysh work directly on the ground to manage our partnerships, land acquisitions, expeditions, and the protection of our forest areas. Volunteers, donors, and supporters are also actively involved here. You can find out more at “Wilderness International Canada”.

At Wilderness International Peru, the seven founders serve on the board of trustees. On the ground, the organization’s president, Dr. Chris Kirkby, works alongside a team forest guardian and the rest of the operational team to oversee the protected areas, conduct research and biodiversity monitoring in the forests, identify and acquire new land parcels, and manage projects with local schools, communities, and partners. For more information, visit “Wilderness International Peru”.

We protect the areas we select exclusively by purchasing them and registering them in the land registry, and we do so only in countries with a high degree of legal certainty. All three international foundations (Peru, Canada, Germany) are registered as owners in the land registry. No one can buy the forest areas we have purchased as foundations from us, and we are also prohibited from selling them. 

The foundation’s organizational structure prevents any single individual from having sole authority over the disposition of its assets and ensures its long-term existence. Learn more here about the longevity of the foundation model. Our bylaws stipulate that the land must be left undisturbed and visited solely for research and documentation purposes. 

In Canada: 

Due to their remoteness and undeveloped nature, our protected areas in Canada can only be reached at great financial, material, and time-related cost—and not without risk. Furthermore, the high level of legal certainty in Canada ensures that damage to the land results in severe penalties. The British Columbia Trespass Act clearly prohibits trespassing on private land. Violations are prosecuted in court upon complaint, even if no damage has occurred. Furthermore, we visit and monitor the areas during regular research trips and have partnerships with local companies that support us. In Canada, we also have the advantage that property holds great cultural and historical value and is respected.

In Peru:

In Peru, we have forest guardian on the ground whose daily tasks include monitoring our protected areas and preventing unauthorized entry. By using drones, the guardians can survey a larger area, and special sensors trigger an alarm instantly if, for example, a fire breaks out or the sound of chainsaws is heard. In addition, we collaborate there with the organization “Fauna Forever,” which also maintains a permanent presence on the ground and, as part of its research projects, patrols and monitors our areas as well.

In addition, the Forest Guardians maintain direct contact with the local population, advocate for our conservation goals within the community, put up informational signs, and actively participate in community projects—such as our current agroforestry project —to show the local population ways to benefit from the rainforest without clearing it. Should a conflict nevertheless arise, we report poachers and other individuals engaged in illegal activities to local law enforcement agencies (such as the police, lawyers, and government authorities) and work closely with them.

“Forever” actually means “forever”—or, more precisely, for as long as the foundations exist. The areas protected by Wilderness International are privately owned by the foundation. This means that all three sister foundations (Germany, Peru, and Canada) are the owners of the land. The foundation’s organizational structure prevents any single individual from having sole authority over the property and ensures its long-term existence. 

What makes a foundation special? 

• A foundation is the most long-term organizational model currently in existence. Not even governments, corporations, or national parks are designed to last that long. Many foundations are very old, some dating back over a thousand years. This makes the foundation the only entity whose lifespan is aligned with that of the ecosystems we protect.
• A foundation operates independently of political constructs and, in some cases, states.
• For the purpose of the foundation, it receives the foundation assets, which are always preserved.
• It is independent of individual persons and cannot be inherited, because it does not belong to anyone alone. A foundation always belongs to the community of people who are actively engaged at the time. 
• Like no other, the legal form of the foundation allows for a (charitable) purpose to be realized permanently and independently of outside interests, thus achieving the desired effects in the long term.
• Examples of some foundations that are over a thousand years old: 
  • Since 1161: Johanneshof Foundation, Hildesheim
  • Since 1177: St. John’s Convent of the Virgin Mary, Lübeck
  • Since 1184: Magdalenen Hospital, Münster 

Our Bylaws stipulate that the land must be left undisturbed and visited solely for research and documentation purposes. This entire framework ensures that the protected areas remain secure even in the event of a change in operational management.

If other organizations do not own the land they protect, they can only ensure its permanent protection to a limited extent. Without ownership, external factors—such as political changes, economic pressures (e.g., rising value of agricultural land), or social conflicts—can jeopardize the long-term conservation of the forest. With the three sister foundations of Wilderness International owning the protected areas, long-term protection is permanently secured.

Global warming is an urgent problem, and swift and effective action is needed to stop it. With a limited budget, we must carefully consider which option is best for ensuring a healthy climate through the use of trees. 

For example, if you invest €100,000 in protecting existing forests, our model shows that 100,000^m² of old-growth forest will be protected old-growth forest immediate effect and thus saved from deforestation. If you want to plant new trees, it is recommended to invest twice as much to acquire a comparably large piece of land (depending on current land prices) and reforest it with tree and shrub species that are suitable for the location and promote biodiversity.

Tree plantations and planted forests take about 25 years to become “climate-positive,” and even then they achieve only a fraction of the biodiversity and biomass of old-growth forests. In the first few years after planting, tree plantations actually carry a heavy_{“carbon footprint.”} This is due to the greenhouse gases generated in the nursery and during planting. Additionally, the soil emits extra_CO2 after planting.

Nevertheless, it’s important and a good thing to plant trees today! It will help the climate in 25 years and makes sense wherever trees and forests naturally belong but would not regrow on their own. It is also an effective measure for removing impervious surfaces in urban areas so that trees can provide cooling (in cities, etc.). However, the most important measure for stabilizing our climate is the protection of existing intact forests.