Wildlife Conservation Program

The Wildlife Conservation Programme aims to gain, support and develop the skills and networks of budding generations of young conservation professionals. This can be achieved by the virtue of a comprehensive system of advice, training and financial awards. The initiative is the result of a unique confluence of ambitious streams between four leading conservation organisations, BirdLife International , Fauna & Flora International (FFI) , the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Conservation International (CI) , and BP. The Programme is now in its 18th year, and first year with WCS and CI as partners, and has supported a total of 210 projects in 64 countries.

Financial Awards:
It is de rigueur that all projects applying to the programme fulfil the following criteria:
- It is de rigueur that all projects applying to the programme fulfil the following criteria: Address a wildlife conservation priority of global importance (preferably linking with established work-plans e.g. national biodiversity action plan).
- Incorporate local involvement and collaboration.
- Have a majority of team members in full- or part-time University education (under- or post-graduate, and of any age).
- Demonstrate feasibility and delivery.

Teams must be student-led and international, however, the Programme is able to provide assistance in creating international links for projects. Full details of criteria and submission procedure can be found in the 'guidelines for applicants' document on the 'guidelines' page.

Other support:
To elevate the level of support given to conservation project planners the Programme has developed a series of training workshops on fieldwork techniques and project planning. A representative from each award winning team is given the oppurtunity to participate in these workshops, which are held annually, alternating between the UK and US. Training programmes are also being developed around the world with pilot programmes which have been held in Indonesia in 2000, and in Malaysia in 2001.

These workshops are organised in collaboration with several world-class institutions including the Royal Geographical Society, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.