WildLandscapes has grown steadily since 2016, evolving from a niche service connecting grassroots organizations to U.S. government funding into a global conservation initiative with far-reaching impact. In 2022, we launched large-scale projects that began delivering meaningful change in 2023, setting the stage for scaling up. This year, we expanded our team, strengthened partnerships, and achieved key milestones in tackling ambitious conservation challenges. From overcoming complex real estate and conservation hurdles in Florida and New Hampshire to supporting innovative, high-reward global programs, we’re pushing the boundaries of conservation. 

Thank you for doing it all with us.

Growing Our Team

We were thrilled to welcome Curtis Osceola, Chief of Staff for the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, to our Board of Directors in July 2024. Curtis is a passionate advocate for Everglades restoration and Tribal sovereignty, with expertise in legal advocacy and strategic leadership. His addition to our Board reflects our commitment to deepening relationships with Native American conservation initiatives. We also welcomed Ian Craig as our Senior Africa Director. Ian, a renowned Kenyan conservationist and leading expert on Indigenous-led community conservancies, brings decades of experience guiding landscape-level conservation initiatives. We’re excited to share some of the innovative projects he will spearhead in 2025. Our programs team also grew with the addition of Brenda Schuster as Director of Programs and Strategy, Camilla McConnell as Head of Communications, and Nancy Joan as Program Associate. Together, they bring invaluable expertise in strategy, storytelling, and on-the-ground conservation, enabling us to deliver even greater outcomes.

Growing the Green Heart: Progress in the Everglades

The Green Heart of the Everglades project continues to make remarkable strides in 2024. This year, we’ve gotten even closer to acquiring the mineral rights, with the appraisal process nearly complete. These efforts position us strongly for the next phase: securing the funding needed to finalize the acquisition by 2026. A central tenet of this initiative is promoting Miccosukee and Seminole management of their ancestral lands, ensuring their leadership and stewardship are integral to the future of the Everglades. This approach honors their cultural heritage while strengthening conservation outcomes. Our team has engaged essential stakeholders, including Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, and Senator Rick Scott, all of whom are enthusiastic about advancing this landmark conservation effort. Support from the Florida delegation is crucial as we seek federal funding to protect this vital landscape. We received further assistance with a Network for Landscape Conservation grant from the Catalyst Fund, as well as a donation from the Miccosukee Tribe themselves, and we are working on a Gala Dinner together with them and the Bergeron Everglades Foundation for 2025.

Preserving New Hampshire’s Wilderness

In 2024, the Bear Hill Conservancy project made significant steps forward, with parcels C (634.85 acres), A (489.63 acres), and K (1,280.78 acres) set to close by year-end and others, including E (422.09), G (1,303.82 acres), L (593.04), M (461.48), and N (670.45), targeted for early 2025. This builds on the successful closure of parcels D (839.11), F (1,286.91), and P (469.10) earlier this year - the total acreage of the project comes to 14,168.32 acres. Efforts are also underway to expand protection by incorporating Green Woodlands, a nearby tract adjacent to Bear Hill. Encouraged by strong community and state backing, the project aligns with the New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan and enhances the Appalachian Trail corridor, a region valued for its coal forests, biodiversity, and scenic beauty. The Kilham Bear Center, which rehabilitates orphaned black bear cubs, also calls this area home. Important connections, including with the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, have emphasized innovative conservation models. Notably, the Friends of Conte has evolved into the Connecticut River Partnership, with our director, David, serving on its executive committee, further strengthening regional alliances.

Kenya: Advancing Rhino Conservation

Our efforts to expand rhino habitats continue to gain momentum through our deepening relationship with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). In September, we hosted a high-impact advocacy visit to Washington, D.C., for senior KWS leaders, including Director General Dr. Erustus Kanga. Led by our Director, David Houghton, the delegation presented KWS’s priorities - black rhino conservation, ranger training, and wildlife corridors - to key U.S. policymakers, including Senator Chris Coons, USAID, and Vice President Kamala Harris’s office. They also met with Re:wild and visited Yellowstone National Park to exchange insights on managing large protected areas.

In December, our director attended the graduation of 1,274 rangers at the KWS Law Enforcement Academy at Manyani - its largest ever cohort to graduate. The event, attended by President William Ruto, highlighted the essential role of rangers in protecting Kenya’s natural heritage. WildLandscapes donated a drone to the KWS to enhance field operations. In alignment with the Rhino Action Plan, we’re collaborating with partners like Tsavo Trust to prepare Tsavo West’s Intensive Protected Zone (IPZ) as part of the Kenya Rhino Range Expansion plan (KRRE). This initiative aims to establish East Africa’s largest rhino sanctuary, spanning nearly 750,000 acres. With a $10 million fundraising goal in 2025, this ambitious effort will drive transformative change for rhinos, ecosystems, livelihoods, and biodiversity across the landscape. 

South Africa: Renosterveld Conservation Milestones

WildLandscapes International has a long-standing partnership with the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust (ORCT) to protect one of South Africa’s most threatened ecosystems. Through technical assistance and fundraising support, we’ve helped ORCT secure funding and develop innovative programs that promote biodiversity and sustainable land use. This year, ORCT secured two new properties, adding 160 hectares of Critically Endangered Central Rûens Shale Renosterveld to their protected areas. Part of their Conservation Easement Programme, this achievement collaborates with local farmers to safeguard these ecosystems in perpetuity. The newly protected land includes a stretch of the Sout River, enhancing ecosystem connectivity and preservation. We congratulate ORCT and their partners on this important advancement, which continues to make a profound impact on protecting our natural heritage.

Northeast India: Advancing Community Conservation in the Eastern Himalayas

This year, we were thrilled to celebrate Bibhab Talukdar, a longtime partner and conservation leader, and founder of Aaranyak, who received a prestigious IUCN award and was nominated for the Indianapolis Prize for his dedication to wildlife conservation. Aaranyak has been renewing focus on community-based conservation in pivotal areas around Karbi Anglong, Pakke Namire, and Pakke Tiger Reserve, strengthening ties between local communities and conservation efforts. Our collaboration in Karbi Anglong has secured U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grants to aid grassroots initiatives, while Aaranyak’s vision expands to enhancing connectivity between protected areas from Manas and Royal Manas in Bhutan to India’s tiger reserves. These biodiverse regions, home to elephants, tigers, dholes, and critically endangered white-winged ducks, have the potential to become major conservation hubs, including rhino reintroductions along the Brahmaputra. Training and community engagement are already underway to ensure long-term protection for wildlife and livelihoods.

Alaska: Advancing Conservation and Sustainable Tourism

In Fairbanks, we achieved a noteworthy breakthrough with the sale of a property to the Conservation Fund, which will serve as a “buy and hold” for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Once acquired, USFWS plans to design and build a new Visitor Center, creating a vital hub for education and outreach. Next, we are focusing on developing a bear-viewing lodge in the Becharof National Wildlife Refuge to enhance biodiversity conservation, support local livelihoods, and reduce visitor pressure on Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park. Early steps include identifying suitable land, negotiating acquisitions, and collaborating with Indigenous nations and local communities to align with their needs. Securing funding for staff time, travel, and stakeholder engagement is essential to advancing this amazing opportunity to combine conservation with sustainable tourism.

Oregon: Major Conservation Funding Secured

We are excited to announce that our partners on the Oregon project, High Desert Partnership, received an $18 million grant from the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). They received additional matching funds of nearly $32m generously contributed by federal and local government as well as private organisations -  many thanks to the Bureau of Land Management, Harney County Soil and Water Conservation District, Harney County Watershed Council, Oregon Agricultural Trust, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and Ducks Unlimited. This collaborative effort highlights the power of collaboration in driving powerful conservation work. Work is set to begin in the summer of 2025, focusing on vital habitat restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Brenda Smith, High Desert Partnership's Executive Director, shared her enthusiasm: “This project demonstrates how diverse organizations can come together to create lasting environmental and community benefits.” This funding marks a major step forward, and we look forward to working with everybody involved to deliver meaningful conservation outcomes for Oregon’s landscapes and communities.

WildLandscapes is dedicated to creating real, measurable change for nature and communities - protecting critical habitats, restoring ecosystems, and supporting the people who rely on them. As we expand our work in 2025, your support is essential. From preserving the Green Heart of the Everglades to advancing rhino conservation in Kenya and safeguarding landscapes in Alaska and South Africa, every contribution drives forward efforts that make a lasting difference.

This work cannot wait. With your help, we can protect vital landscapes, preserve biodiversity, empower Indigenous communities, and safeguard critical carbon stores - ensuring they continue to thrive for generations to come.