Global Conservation

Background

Global Conservation was founded by Jeff Morgan to assist UNESCO World Heritage and National Parks in achieving “No Kill, No Cut” protection levels against wildlife poaching, illegal logging, mining, and encroachment. ¹ It is focused on conservancy efforts for World Heritage Sites in developing countries. ²

Its criteria for choosing a project to support insist that the site is an endangered national park or UNESCO World Heritage Site in a developing country, it contains a “critical habitat for megafauna with intact, primary ecosystems,” it has a well-staffed park authority and possibly collaborates with non-governmental organizations, has a park authority willing to pursue a “No Cut, No Kill” goal and fund border demarcations and communication towers, and has “excellent potential for sustainable tourism to support permanent protection.” ³

Funding

Global Conservation contributes funds to Global Park Defense programs for UNESCO and national parks that deploy protection systems, technology, and training. ¹

In 2019, Global Conservation reported total revenue of $1,480,625, total expenses of $2,004,719, and net assets of $-193,764. ⁴ Since roughly 2005, Global Conservation has helped secure $40 million in international funding and $30 million in national funding for parks and wildlife conservation efforts. ¹

Global Conservation allows supporters to donate to conservation projects on its website. As of 2022, these included national parks and ecosystems in Guatemala, Peru, Panama, Ecuador, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Georgia, Ukraine, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Tanzania, Cuba, Mexico, and Micronesia. ^{5 6}

Its official partners include Global Forest Watch, Rainforest Trust, SMART Conservation Software, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), RESOLVE, Mongabay Wildtech, Protected Seas, the Thin Green Line Foundation, and Tusk Trust. ¹

Leadership

As of 2022, Global Conservation founder Jeff Morgan was working as executive director. Before Global Conservation, Morgan founded Global Heritage Fund (GHF), a similar organization that leads conservancy projects and builds communities in developing countries. Morgan is a trustee of the Morgan Family Foundation, a California-based environmental foundation. ¹

As of 2022, Global Conservation’s advisory board consists of chairman Eric Dinerstein, Gerardo Ceballos, and Suwanna Gauntlett, Mike Griffiths, Martin Goebel, Angus Parker, Peter Raven, Ian Singleton, Gregory Asner, Sarah Otterstrom, and Tint Lwin Thaung. ² Its board members include Jeff Morgan, Global Sustainability Initiative founder Firth Griffith, Goldman Environmental Foundation director Michael Sutton, and Turner Foundation president emeritus Michael Finley. ⁷

Global Conservation has directors for each of its international regions. As of 2022, these included Central America director Max Villalobos, South America director Margoth Quispe, Central Africa director Oliver Fankem, Mexico director Alejandro Gonzalez, and the global park defense manager Julien Godfrey. ¹