Future for Nature

Future for Nature is a foundation that supports young, talented and ambitious conservationists committed to protecting species of wild animals and plants.^[1] During the annual Award Show of Future for Nature, three young conservationists (max. 35 years old) receive the international Future for Nature Award and 50.000 euro to spend on their conservation project.^[2] A goal of the Future for Nature is that the commitment of young conservationist will make the difference for the future for nature and its species.

The Foundation has an International Selection Committee, a Board of Recommendation, a worldwide network of young nature conservationists and about 100 Friends of Future For Nature. Royal Burgers’ Zoo and the Gieskes Strijbis Fonds are the most important sponsors/financiers.^[3] The International Selected Committee is chaired by Saba Douglas-Hamilton, an award-winning wildlife filmmaker, TV host, and conservationist.

Since 2014, Biologist Freek Vonk is the ambassador of Future For Nature. During his tv-shows he has visited 2015 Award winner José González-Maya.

Future For Nature Award Show

The Future For Nature Award is an international award that celebrates tangible achievements in protecting wild animal and plant species. The Future For Nature Award aims to:^[4]

• Reward and fund individuals for their outstanding efforts in the protection of species of wild animals and plants^[5]
• Stimulate Award winners to sustain their dedicated work
• Help winners to raise their profile, extend their professional network and strengthen their funding basis

The Award provides the winners international recognition, financial support and reinforced linkages to an international conservation network. In addition to the Award amount, all recipients receive a small Future For Nature sculpture and a Future for Nature Certificate summarizing their achievements.^[6]

Future For Nature Award winners

Award winners 2008

2008 was the first year the Future For Nature Award was given. The 2008 prize was awarded to:

• Michiel Hötte, working on Amur leopards in the Russian Far East and North-East China, and
• Patrícia Medici, working on tapir conservation with the Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative in Brazil.^[7]

Award winners 2009

• Inza Koné
• Maggie Muurmans, for her work in marine turtle conservation in Aceh, Indonesia
• Mohammad Farhadinia

Award winners 2010

• Alberto Campos
• Els van Lavieren ^[8]
• Jean Thomas

Award winners 2011

• Barbara Galetti Vernazzani, for her contribution to the conservation of cetacean species and the marine ecosystem
• Ofir Drori, for his work to fight wildlife crimes. He is the founder of the Last Great Ape (LAGA) ^[9]
• Corneille Ewango^[9]

Award winners 2012

• Anna Oposa, for her work on marine protection in the Philippines. She is co-founder of the Save Philippines Seas organization.^[4][10]
• Chuon Vuthy, for his contribution to the conservation of bears in Cambodia. He works at the Cambodian Bear Sanctuary^[4][11]
• Patricia Davis, for her work on the conservation of the endangered dugong in northern Madagascar. Patricia co-founded Community Centred Conservation (C3)^[4]

Award winners 2013

• Samia Saif, for her contribution to tiger conservation in the Sundarbans mangrove forest in Bangladesh
• Lucy King, for the development of beehive fences to reduce human–elephant conflict in Kenya
• Rudi Hadiansyah Putra, for his work on the protection of large mammals, with an emphasis on rhinos in Sumatra

Award winners 2014

• Leela Hazzah, for her contribution to lion conservation in East Africa
• Bronwyn Maree, working on albatros conservation in South Africa
• Caleb Ofori Boateng, for his work on the protection on the critically endangered Togo slippery frog in Ghana^[12]

Award winners 2015

• José González-Maya, for his work on the connectivity and habitat conservation for the Talamanca Mountains in Costa Rica and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Colombia.
• Karen Allen, for her contribution to the protection of Bazaruto’s dugongs in Mozambique ^[13]
• Manoj Gautam, for his work on river dolphin conservation in Nepal ^[14]

Guest of Honour Future For Nature Award

During the annual Award Show, Saba Douglas-Hamilton together with the Guest of Honour hand over the Future For Nature statuettes to the FFN winners. Previous Guest of Honours include Frans de Waal (2011), Redmond O'Hanlon (2012), Jane Goodall (2013), Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton (2014), and Professor David Macdonalds (2015).

References

1. "The Future for Nature Award 2015". DRRUF Africa- Development Research & Resource Uptake Forum on Africa. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
2. "Future for Nature". FIN. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
3. "Fact Sheet". Future for Nature. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
4. "The Future for Nature Foundation". Funds for NGOs. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
5. "Future for Nature Foundation - Terra Viva Grants Directory". terravivagrants.org. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
6. "Award". Future for Nature. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
7. http://tapirconservation.org.br
8. "Future for Nature Award". MPC foundation. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
9. "African winners at the Future for Nature Award 2011". africanconservation.org. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
10. "Save Philippine Seas". savephilippineseas.org. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
11. "Cambodia - Free the Bears.Org". freethebears.org.au. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
12. "Future for Nature awards 2014". marjohoedemaker.nl. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
13. https://www.ewt.org.za/newsletter/2015/EWTalk%20Jan%202015/index.html
14. "The Kathmandu Post :: Animal rights activist awarded". ekantipur.com. Retrieved 13 October 2015.

External links

• Save Philippines Seas