Without rainforests and other natural habitats, we would not only lose the wondrous biodiversity which makes them beautiful, but also the vital ecosystem services which we humans rely on.
At Nikwax, we feel that all people have a responsibility to do what they can to protect what is left of the natural world. That’s why we put money aside to fund conservation and reforestation in some of the most threatened areas of our planet.
Like any other area of the business we want to make sure that our money is well spent. Donating to World Land Trust is the best way we can find to ensure that threatened ecosystems are protected, not just today, but forever. The World Land Trust strategy is to use donations to purchase land in areas of ecological importance, and work with local partners and communities to manage the reserves sustainably.
Working with local people is at the core of World Land Trust’s philosophy. Land protection is ultimately handed over to local NGOs, who are best placed to gain the support and understanding of the communities involved. Small scale sustainable development projects allow the reserves to support themselves, ensuring their long term survival.
At Nikwax we have been calculating our primary carbon dioxide emissions since 2007. Every year since then we have offset those emissions, plus an estimated figure for a pre-2007 year, by donating to WLT’s Carbon Balanced Programme. These funds are used to regenerate damaged areas of habitat and prevent further deforestation by extending a range of reserves throughout Ecuador.
As well as a donation to cover our carbon footprint, we make a matching donation for use in World Land Trust’s most urgent appeals. The WLT Action Fund provides the means to make land purchases where ecosystems are under imminent threat. The following map shows some of the projects which have directly benefited from Nikwax support.
How to offset your own emissions
The European Outdoor Conservation Association is a group of businesses in the European outdoor industry who have come together to raise funds for conservation projects to give back to the great outdoors. Founded in 2006, EOCA has raised nearly 5 million EUR for 172 projects in 65 different countries. Projects range from restoring trails in Scotland to forest restoration in Vietnam and restoring coral reefs in Indonesia.
Nikwax has been a key part of EOCA since its inception and has been a sustaining member since 2015. This means that above supporting conservation work, Nikwax helps finance the vital behind the scenes operations that enable EOCA to grow and continue to fund conservation projects globally.
“We depend on our planet and its ecosystems and as an outdoor company, we want to help protect and preserve nature for future generations to enjoy.”
