21 Aug 2014
World Land Trust (WLT), the international conservation charity, enjoyed a successful Birdfair 2014, winning Best Conservation Stand at the Birdfair Stand Awards in their 25th Anniversary year.
During the three-day event, members of the World Land Trust team were present on the stand as well as high-profile Trust supporters such as Bill Oddie and Nick Baker who discussed the Trust and its work with members of the public.
John Burton, CEO of World Land Trust, said: “I am delighted that we had such a successful Birdfair in our 25th year, especially as we have been taking part in the event for 10 years. The Birdfair audience is full of nature lovers and conservationists and it is an important event for us. We are particularly grateful to our wonderful partners from Bolivia and Paraguay for travelling from South America to join us. Bennett, Rodrigo and our other programme partners are working on the conservation frontline and in the years to come we shall continue to do all we can to support their work in protecting threatened habitats, acre by acre.”
A pair of Swarovski Optik CL pocket binoculars took pride of place on the stand, offered as a competition prize and demonstrating the commitment of the Trust's latest corporate supporter. Swarovski Optik also sponsored a 25th Anniversary celebration, during which a cake featuring their trademark binoculars was cut by World Land Trust CEO, John Burton.
WLT has attended Birdfair every year for the past decade and, as in previous years, representatives from the Trust's overseas programme partners joined the stand. This year Rodrigo Zaraté, Sites and Conservation Units Manager for Guyra Paraguay, and Bennett Hennessey, Executive Director for Asociación Armonía, Bolivia had the opportunity to chat to visitors about ecotourism and bird watching activities on their reserves.
The trust was well supported as always by Puro Coffee, who sponsored the new stand design and provided complementary coffee. For the first time in 2014, representatives of Wild Travel, WLT's 25th Anniversary media partner, were also in attendance.
“We'd like to thank our sponsors: Puro Coffee, for their longstanding support; Swarovski Optik for the kind donation of binoculars and sponsorship of our anniversary celebration; Wild Travel for generous media coverage; and Enterprise Plants for providing decorative plants,” said John.
Photo Captions
Image 1: World Land Trust celebrate 25th anniversary – John Burton WLT CEO cuts the cake: John Burton (CEO and Founder of World Land Trust)
Image 2: World Land Trust wins first prize for Best Conservation Stand at Birdfair 2014: L-R Natalie Singleton (WLT), Rodrigo Zarate from Guyra, Paraguay (WLT project partner) and Kelly Jacobs (WLT)
Image 3: World Land Trust and Swarovski Optik remain firm partners (from left to right): Peter Antoniou, (UK Country Manager, Swarovski Optik) and Bennett Hennessey, Executive Director for Asociación Armonía, Bolivia (WLT project partner)
Ends
CORPORATE SUPPORTERS OF WLT'S STAND AT BIRDFAIR 2014
Swarovski Optik: www.swarovskioptik.com
Puro Coffee: www.purocoffee.com/uk/index
Enterprise Plants: http://www.enterpriseplants.com/
Wild Travel: www.wildlifeextra.com/go/world/wild-travel/#cr
About World Land Trust (WLT)
World Land Trust (WLT) is an international conservation charity, which protects the world's most biologically important and threatened habitats acre by acre. Since its foundation in 1989, WLT has funded partner organisations around the world to create reserves and give permanent protection to habitats and wildlife. The mission of the World Land Trust is: to protect and sustainably manage natural ecosystems of the world; to conserve their biodiversity, with emphasis on threatened habitats and endangered species; to develop partnerships with local individuals, communities and organisations to engage support and commitment among the people who live in project areas; to raise awareness, in the UK and elsewhere, of the need for conservation, to improve understanding and generate support through education, information and fundraising.
For more information on World Land Trust and the Trust's international partners, visit www.worldlandtrust.org
Media Enquiries and Product Loan
Sarah Salord / Jessica Meins
McCluskey International
020 8747 2170
