People Resources and Conservation Foundation

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People Resources and Conservation Foundation
People Resources and Conservation Foundation - new logo.png
Founded1995 (1995)
FounderFernando and Marla Potess
Type NGO, non-membership organization incorporated under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code
Focus Environmentalism, Conservation organization
Area served
Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific
Website prcfoundation.org

People Resources and Conservation Foundation (PRCF) is an international non-governmental organization that helps local people in developing countries protect their natural environment. Its headquarters are in the United States [1] but its conservation fieldwork is carried out in a number of Southeast Asian countries. PRCF has joined collaborative research projects on new animal species in Southeast Asia, such as the Myanmar/Burmese snub-nosed monkey. The organization also sets up programs to help native cultures retain their cultural identity through projects such as basket and fabric weaving.

Contents

Mission

PRCF’s stated mission is to ‘conserve biodiversity, ecosystem services and local cultural identities through participatory solutions that protect and promote the wise use of natural resources, support socioeconomic development of communities and enable effective adaptation to climate change’. [2] The organization is concerned with endangered species (species assigned an IUCN category of threat) and loss of their critical habitat, land degradation and climate change. It also works with local communities to promote sustainable livelihoods, participatory land use planning and the revitalization of traditional cultural arts. [3]

History

The organization was founded in 1995 [4] by two biologists-cum-conservationists from the United States and Colombia, Marla and Fernando Potess. In 1995 the first of the PRCF country programs – PRCF Indonesia – was established, with conservation and community development projects based in West Kalimantan, an Indonesian province on the island of Borneo. [5] Other country programs were later established in Cambodia, [6] Myanmar/Burma, [7] Vietnam [8] and Thailand.

Funding

PRCF is a nonprofit foundation, [9] receiving gifts and donations from individuals as well as grants from private and government organizations. In 2010, PRCF derived funding as follows: 15% from the public, 63% from private sources (such as the McKnight Foundation) and 22% from government sources (such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS]). Major donors to PRCF during 2010 were the Arcus Foundation and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). [10] [11]

Conservation work

PRCF works collaboratively with local communities and government authorities at field sites. It also partners with national and international conservation organizations in the countries of operation.

In 2010 PRCF was a member of a joint survey team that discovered a new primate species in northern Myanmar: the Burmese Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri). [12] The species was named in honor of Jon Stryker, President and Founder of the Arcus Foundation. [13] His organization's grant to PRCF helped lead to the discovery of the species.

As of June 2012, PRCF and partners have worked to protect 16 endangered or threatened species in Southeast Asia. These include the critically endangered White-shouldered Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni) [14] and Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus) [15] plus the endangered Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) [16] and Francois’ Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi). [17] [18]

Related Research Articles

Old World monkey Family of mammals

Old World monkey is the common English name for a family of primates known taxonomically as the Cercopithecidae. Twenty-four genera and 138 species are recognized, making it the largest primate family. Old World monkey genera include baboons, red colobus and macaques. Common names for other Old World monkeys include the talapoin, guenon, colobus, douc, vervet, gelada, mangabey, langur, mandrill, surili (Presbytis), patas, and proboscis monkey. Phylogenetically, they are more closely related to apes than to New World monkeys. They diverged from a common ancestor of New World monkeys around 45 to 55 million years ago.

Snub-nosed monkey Genus of mammals

Snub-nosed monkeys are a group of Old World monkeys and make up the entirety of the genus Rhinopithecus. The genus is rare and not fully researched. Some taxonomists group snub-nosed monkeys together with the genus Pygathrix.

Fauna and Flora International

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is an international conservation charity and non-governmental organization dedicated to protecting the planet's threatened wildlife and habitats. Founded in 1903, it is the world's oldest international conservation organisation. The logo of the society is the Arabian oryx, after the successful Operation Oryx, a flagship captive breeding and reintroduction project undertaken by the society.

Black-and-white snub-nosed monkey Species of Old World monkey

The black-and-white snub-nosed monkey, also known as the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, is a large black and white primate that lives only in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan, where it is known to the locals as the Yunnan golden hair monkey (滇金丝猴) and the black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (黑白仰鼻猴). The common name, black snub-nosed monkey, is issued to Rhinopithecus strykeri, inhabiting the Northern Sino-Myanmar border. Coniferous and deciduous forests in the mountainous regions of Yunnan are the ideal terrain for these primates. It is threatened by habitat loss, and is considered an endangered species. With their unique adaptations to their environment, these monkeys thrive at extreme altitudes despite the below freezing temperatures and thin air. This primate's diet is mainly made up of the large amounts of lichens available in their region.

Gray snub-nosed monkey Species of Old World monkey

The gray snub-nosed monkey, also known as Brelich's snub-nosed monkey, Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, and Guizhou golden monkey, is a species of primate in the family Cercopithecidae. It is endemic to China, where it is known as the Guizhou golden hair monkey (黔金丝猴) or gray golden hair monkey (灰金丝猴). It is threatened by habitat loss. Of the three species of snub-nosed monkeys in China, the gray snub-nosed monkey is the most threatened, with a total population thought to number fewer than 400 individuals.

Golden snub-nosed monkey Species of Old World monkey

The golden snub-nosed monkey is an Old World monkey in the subfamily Colobinae. It is endemic to a small area in temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China. They inhabit these mountainous forests of Southwestern China at elevations of 1,500–3,400 m (4,900–11,200 ft) above sea level. The Chinese name is Sichuan golden hair monkey (四川金丝猴). It is also widely referred to as the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey. Of the three species of snub-nosed monkeys in China, the golden snub-nosed monkey is the most widely distributed throughout China.

Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund

Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a joint biodiversity conservation initiative of l'Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, European Union, Global Environment Facility, Government of Japan, and World Bank. CEPF also receives funding from several regional donors, including the MAVA Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The fund’s headquarters are hosted at Conservation International in Arlington, Virginia, United States.

Tonkin snub-nosed monkey Species of Old World monkey

The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey or Dollman's snub-nosed monkey is a slender-bodied arboreal Old World monkey, endemic to northern Vietnam. It has black and white fur, a pink nose and lips, and blue patches around the eyes. It is found at elevations from 200 to 1,200 m on fragmentary patches of forest on craggy limestone areas. First described in 1912, the monkey was rediscovered in 1990 but is exceedingly rare. In 2008, fewer than 250 individuals were thought to exist, and the species was the subject of intense conservation effort. The main threats faced by these monkeys are habitat loss and hunting, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated the species as "critically endangered".

One-male group

One-male groups are a type of social organization where one male interacts with a group of females and their immature offspring. Offspring of both sexes are evicted from the group upon reaching puberty. It can be seen in many species of primates, including the gelada baboon, the patas monkey, savanna baboon, sun-tailed monkey, golden snub-nosed monkey, and the hamadryas baboon. There are costs and benefits for individuals living in one-male groups. As well, individuals within one-male groups can interact with each other just like individuals can interact with those from different one-male groups.

Myanmar snub-nosed monkey Species of Old World monkey

The Myanmar snub-nosed monkey or Burmese snub-nosed monkey or black snub-nosed monkey is a critically endangered species of colobine monkey discovered in 2010 in northern Burma (Myanmar). It was formally described as a novel species of primate in 2011 based on its fur, beard and tail. Two groups of the species were discovered in China in 2011 and 2015, respectively.

Jon Lloyd Stryker is an American architect, philanthropist, and billionaire heir to the Stryker Corporation medical technology company fortune.

Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association

Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA) is a Burmese non-governmental organisation established in the capital city Yangon. The society aims to conserve natural diversity and promote awareness. It remains the leading force in Burma for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

The Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve (GNNR) is a protected area comprising the Gaoligong Mountains and the nearby Nu Jiang Reserve in the western Yunnan Province of China, near the international boundary of Burma. It covers a vast stretch of the junction of Baoshan City, Tengchong and Lushui County, towards the west side of Nu (Salween) River.

Kashmira Kakati is a wildlife biologist and environmental activist working the North Eastern forests of India. In 2010, she announced the discovery of the presence of seven species of wild cats in the Jeypore-Dehing forests in Assam. Her work using camera traps to find wild cats was featured in the first episode of the BBC documentary Lost Land of the Tiger (2010).

Prunus obtusata is a species of bird cherry native to Tibet, southern China and Taiwan, preferring to grow at 800–3600 m. It is a tree typically 6–20 m tall. Its flowers are borne on a raceme, with white petals. The fruit is black.

References

  1. ↑ GuideStar Quick View: People Resources and Conservation Foundation. http://www.guidestar.org/organizations/75-2641707/people-resources-conservation-foundation.aspx
  2. ↑ About the People Resources and Conservation Foundation. http://www.prcfoundation.org/about-us/
  3. ↑ Sutton, Nicola. Weaving a Future: PRCF helps Dayak women fight Environmental Destruction. Youth Leader: The Asian Region "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-08-27. Retrieved 2012-06-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ↑ People Resources and Conservation Foundation - About us - History. http://www.prcfoundation.org/about-us/history/
  5. ↑ Welcome to PRCF Indonesia. http://www.prcfoundation.org/countries/indonesia/ Archived 2012-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Maltby, Matthew and Bourchier, Gavin. Current Status of Asian Elephants in Cambodia. Gajah 35 (2011) 36-42 http://www.asesg.org/PDFfiles/2012/35-36-Maltby.pdf
  7. ↑ Looking out for the Myanmar snub-nosed monkey May 25, 2012 Phys.org. http://phys.org/news/2012-05-myanmar-snub-nosed-monkey.html
  8. ↑ Stout, David. A green breakthrough? The Word Ha Noi, November 2011: 34-43.
  9. ↑ GreatNonprofits (2012. People Resources and Conservation Foundation. http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/people-resources-and-conservation-foundation/#r_id-111176--user_id-151318
  10. ↑ Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund: Partners. http://www.cepf.net/partners/Pages/default.aspx
  11. ↑ Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. Indo-Burma (Indochina Region) Project Database. http://www.cepf.net/grants/project_database/indo-burma/Pages/default.aspx Archived 2012-12-31 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Geissmann, T, Lwin, N, Aung, SS, Aung, TN, Aung, ZM, Hla, TH, Grindley, M and Momberg, F (2011). A new species of snub-nosed monkey, genus Rhinopithecus Milne-Edwards, 1872 (Primates, Colobinae), from northern Kachin state, northeastern Myanmar. American Journal of Primatology, 73: 96–107. doi: 10.1002/ajp.20894 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajp.20894/full
  13. ↑ Our Founder. Arcus Foundation. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-06-20. Retrieved 2012-06-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. ↑ Largest ever White-shouldered Ibis count (2010). BirdLife International in Indochina http://birdlifeindochina.org/content/largest-ever-white-shouldered-ibis-count
  15. ↑ Tonkin snub-nosed monkey. ARKive: Images of life on earth. http://www.arkive.org/tonkin-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-avunculus Archived 2012-08-25 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Geissmann T, Grindley M, Momberg F, Lwin N, Moses S (2008). Hoolock gibbon and biodiversity survey and training in southern Rakhine Yoma, Myanmar: preliminary report. Yangon: Myanmar Primate Conservation Program, BANCA, FFI, PRCF and Yangon University. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajp.20894/full
  17. ↑ Save Our Species. Sustainably funded community-based conservation of the largest known remaining population of the Francois’ Langur http://www.sospecies.org/sos_projects/mammals/francoislangur Archived 2013-04-15 at archive.today
  18. ↑ Community-based planning of the Lam Binh Forest Area Francois‘ Langur Conservation Landscape, Tuyen Quang Province, Vietnam. Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. Indo-Burma (Indochina Region) Project Database. Strategic Direction 1: Safeguard priority globally threatened species in Indochina by mitigating major threats. http://www.cepf.net/grants/project_database/indo-burma/Pages/strategic_direction_1.aspx Archived 2010-06-26 at the Wayback Machine
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