ISLAND CONSERVATION SOCIETY-Island Conservation Society joins the World Conservation Union |03 December 2007

By Adrian Skerrett

The World Conservation Union (or IUCN) has welcomed Island Conservation Society of Seychelles as the latest non government organization (NGO) member of the organization at the most recent Council Meeting of the Union. Based in Switzerland, the World Conservation Union is the world’s largest and most important conservation network, uniting around 1,000 members of which about 800 are NGOs such as Island Conservation Society. IUCN brings together some 10,000 scientists and experts from almost every country in the world in a unique worldwide partnership.

Membership of the prestigious IUCN brings advantages to NGOs such as Island Conservation Society as well as to the conservation endeavours of Seychelles in general.

It enables a small local NGO to become a part of the wider international conservation movement and to promote issues that are vital to Seychelles.  The World Conservation Union is the world’s leading authority on conservation matters and brings together a family of like-minded organisations and individuals actively engaged in managing and restoring ecosystems throughout the world. The Union’s information systems are among the world’s most respected and frequently cited sources of information and reference on the environment. Members of IUCN become a part of a collective global voice on important issues such as climate change and sustainable development and membership provides a platform for all conservation issues to be discussed.

As the world’s largest environmental network, IUCN has helped more than 75 countries to prepare and implement national conservation strategies. IUCN is also the only environmental organisation to be given the official status of Observer at the United Nations General Assembly. This means it is able to give policy advice and technical support to governments, UN organizations, international conventions and other groupings such as the G8.

IUCN is also the body responsible for assessing all new sites nominated as World Heritage Sites. At present there are two World Heritage Sites in Seychelles but there may be the potential for more. Applications for membership of IUCN must be supported by two existing members and the application of Island Conservation Society was backed by support from Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts of UK and Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles.

Island Conservation Society has also increased its international links during 2007 with the nomination of two new prominent Honorary Members. These are Lars Kristofferson of WWF Sweden and Carl Lundin, Head of the IUCN Global Marine Programme. Both have visited Seychelles recently where they attended the Island Conservation Society and Seychelles Island Foundation Annual General Meetings.

The Island Conservation Society promotes the conservation and restoration of island ecosystems.