GRASP: Last Gasp for Great Apes?
12 Sep 2005
Kinshasa, DRC/Gland, Switzerland - The week long UNEP/UNESCO Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP) Conference, ending today in Kinshasa (DRC) has adopted a declaration recognizing the immense and immediate threats facing apes, as well as their critical importance as part of forest ecosystems.
The final declaration underlines the importance and value of ape habitat to local people and that great ape projects will be more acceptable if clearly linked to broader poverty reduction strategies. African range states and conservationists alike placed the Millennium Development Goals and the WSSD (World Summit on Sustainable Development) target at the heart of an effective strategy to reduce biodiversity loss, reduce poverty and help save critically endangered primates.
WWF, the global conservation, believes this is an historic meeting as it is the first time a large diversity of partners - range states, donor states, UN agencies, non governmental organisations, academic and scientific communities and the private sector - have jointly committed to great ape conservation.
The signatories pledged to "do everything in our power to ensure the long-term future for all great ape species and to encourage the citizens of the world, in whatever capacity, to assist and support this initiative".
The Declaration further says that all partners have agreed on several efforts to be made, including: to commit to the global great ape strategy set up at the meeting; support range states to counter threats to apes; enhance co-operation on law enforcement; encourage provision of sustainable direct and indirect benefits to local people (for example through ecotourism); significantly reduce the rate of loss of ape populations and their habitats by 2010; and to ensure GRASP realizes its potential to save apes.
"It is reassuring to see that so many countries and agencies have agreed to make more effort to conserve great apes," said Dr Peter J. Stephenson, Programme Officer at WWF's Africa/Madagascar Programme.
"WWF, as a major GRASP partner, is pleased to see that such a political commitment will justify and support our projects and activities on the ground."
The conference also adopted a GRASP work plan which details what needs to be done to achieve the objectives of the declaration. Proposed actions revolve around developing partnerships; raising awareness; building capacity; establishing pilot projects and best practices; and fundraising.
WWF's main on-going activities - such as developing and managing protected areas and their broader landscapes, running projects involving and supporting local communities, tackling the bushmeat trade, and training and building capacity - can clearly be included within these actions.
"The key now is for everyone to go home and implement their promises to save great apes from extinction," said Peter J. Stephenson.
"WWF will play its part and ensure we continue working across Africa and south-east Asia to reduce threats to apes and their habitats."
For more information
Contacts:
Dr Peter J. Stephenson, Programme Officer at WWF's Africa/Madagascar Programme (in Kinshasa)
Ph: +243 98 130 135
Joanna Benn, Communications Manager, Global Species Programme
Ph: +41 22 364 9093
Email: jbenn@wwfint.org
Olivier van Bogaert, Senior Press Officer, WWF International
Ph: +41 22 364 9554
Email: ovanbogaert@wwfint.org
Or visit the GRASP website.
The Woods Hole Research Center has additional information on GRASP, including the GRASP constitution and maps and population data.
