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Our Program / How it Works
Much of the world’s remaining biodiversity is found in developing countries where few, if any, funds are available to protect fragile wilderness areas. Protected areas (PAs) are chronically underfunded; UNDP has estimated that the governments of Armenia and Georgia, for example, spend less than 50% of what is needed to run their national parks and reserves effectively.
Our Program
In the Caucasus, as elsewhere in the developing world, PAs run the risk of becoming nothing more than “paper parks”—places which are demarcated on a map as protected, but in fact are systematically exploited through illegal development, hunting, or logging. In concrete terms, this means that protected areas are often unable to:
- buy essential equipment such as binoculars, cameras and phones;
- maintain trails, tourist facilities and ranger shelters;
- make capital purchases like jeeps and fire trucks; or
- pay adequate salaries to rangers.
CNF Supports the Three "C"s of Conservation
Healthy ecosystems today need all three "C"s—Core Areas, Carnivores and Corridors. Nature’s processes can unfold undisturbed in core areas. But the balance is thrown off if carnivores are eliminated, as they were in the early days of America's national parks. Without carnivores on the hunt, herbivore populations can overwhelm stream ecosystems—to the detriment of other life forms. The wolves, leopards, and other wild cats of the Caucasus are a sure sign of the ecosystem's vibrancy even in the face of numerous threats.
Corridors represent the weakest link in the Caucasus nature protection chain. They connect core areas, ensuring a stable, healthy gene pool—and are essential to preventing an “island effect” in wilderness areas. The Ecoregional Plan contains a blueprint for new corridors that will connect critical protected areas, consisting partly of managed reserves and sanctuaries. As governments create these new corridors, CNF will be on site to provide support. (See Caroline Fraser’s book, Rewilding the World, based in part on biologist Michael Soule’s work, for more on the three "C"s).
Healthy ecosystems today need all three "C"s—Core Areas, Carnivores and Corridors. Nature’s processes can unfold undisturbed in core areas. But the balance is thrown off if carnivores are eliminated, as they were in the early days of America's national parks. Without carnivores on the hunt, herbivore populations can overwhelm stream ecosystems—to the detriment of other life forms. The wolves, leopards, and other wild cats of the Caucasus are a sure sign of the ecosystem's vibrancy even in the face of numerous threats.
Corridors represent the weakest link in the Caucasus nature protection chain. They connect core areas, ensuring a stable, healthy gene pool—and are essential to preventing an “island effect” in wilderness areas. The Ecoregional Plan contains a blueprint for new corridors that will connect critical protected areas, consisting partly of managed reserves and sanctuaries. As governments create these new corridors, CNF will be on site to provide support. (See Caroline Fraser’s book, Rewilding the World, based in part on biologist Michael Soule’s work, for more on the three "C"s).
The "50% Principle” Ensures Local Buy-In
Our funding model uses the “50% principle” to ensure long-term commitment from both sides. Here’s how it works. We assess a PA’s current budget and needs with the responsible ministry—securing a commitment from the government to at least maintain its existing budget. In light of the assessment and our available funds, we agree on an annual amount that CNF will add to the PA’s budget. We can provide up to a match, but cannot exceed the government’s budget—potentially doubling operating funds.
In addition to financial support, we bring management expertise, encouraging the ministries and PAs to take on long-term development planning. As part of this process, we monitor CNF’s investments on an annual basis. A local environmental NGO evaluates each PA’s operations and programs, and an independent auditing firm reviews financial records.
By requiring the governments to provide at least half the budget, and by working with them and the PAs to improve business development and planning capacity, our program promotes local ownership and pride in the outcome. These are critical factors to success. And because we can offer the prospect of matching funds over the long term, CNF's model may encourage governments to increase their own investment in existing PAs and to create new national parks and reserves.
How it Works—Program Example
Here is a typical park budget showing CNF and government support. More than 70% of government funding is budgeted for salaries (which are inadequate), leaving scant resources to buy equipment and maintain the park. Our investment pays for binoculars, cameras and phones, maintains trails, tourist facilities and ranger shelters, and makes capital purchases like jeeps and fire trucks, in addition to providing a living wage through salary supplements. 