The Challenge

In conservation, opportunities to purchase important lands – and hence save rare and endangered species – may arise abruptly and require an immediate financial commitment to compete with commercial interests. Local land trusts and conservation organizations around the world may identify opportunities to purchase a site from a willing seller either before or once it is available on the open market. In some of the most important sites for endangered species, competing interests to conservation may include outside developers or large businesses that can move capital quickly to secure a property. Local conservation charities often have capacity to raise funds, but not capital on hand to hold and secure a property. They in turn must rely on biannual or annual grant cycles that move funds on donor-driven timelines. Often, the chance to complete a critical land purchase to protect the site for species is lost because of the slow pace of arranging conservation investments.