2019 Annual Report

Providing Food & Water Sustainably

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Finding ways to feed a growing population while protecting nature.

We can feed the planet’s growing population without destroying the nature that supports us.

The Terminal Pesquero Villa María del Triunfo in Lima, Peru, where fishermen from Ancón hope to open a stall and be able to work directly with buyers. December 2018. Dive-fishermen in Ancón are working with TNC’s Oceans Program in Peru to more sustainably manage their fishery.
Local divers are now earning more for their sustainably caught octopus, crabs and sea snails by working directly with sellers at fish markets like this one in Lima, Peru. © Jason Houston
Man holding and octopus standing on a boat

Empowering Communities to Make Their Fisheries Thrive

FishPath brings scientific decision-making tools to artisanal fishing fleets across the globe.

By Julian Smith

Learn More
Mountain climber repelling over a ledge.

Conserving Land for Water Security

In Africa, The Nature Conservancy developed a pair of ambitious water funds—and has many more in the works.

By Matt Jenkins Learn More
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A man with tuna harvested from Pacific Island waters.

Tuna Transparency Challenge

In a huge win for oceans and people, 8 Pacific Island nations committed to 100% transparency in their tuna fisheries by 2023 in a historic challenge.

By Dustin Solberg Learn More
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Tractor on a dry farm
Some modern farming practices leave ground exposed and harm the soil, but TNC is working with partners to boost farmland conservation measures. © Jim Richardson/National Geographic Image Collection
People holding shellfish on a boat
Simon Branigan and Ben Cleveland from TNC’s Australia program return measured shellfish to the reef in Clifton Springs, Australia. © Jenny Luu/TNC
Sea lion diving with fish.
The Baja California Peninsula is home to 900 fish species. TNC and local partners are helping communities cultivate biodiversity and fisheries productivity by establishing sustainable fishing practices. © Alfredo Martinez Fernandez/TNC Photo Contest 2019
Water from a river running over smooth rocks.
Improvements in how lands and waters are managed upstream benefits communities throughout the watershed. © Edinson Ivan Arroyo Mora/TNC Photo Contest 2019
A fisherman holding up a group of fish on a boat.
Grouper Fishermen offload their catch aboard the Karima after a trip out to the fishing grounds in Brondong, Lamongan Regency East Java, Indonesia. © Ed Wray
Crops growing in a field.
Fields like this one in the U.S. could thrive well into the future with better soil health practices. A new high-tech program known as OpTIS shows where soil conservation is gaining ground. © Design Pics Inc./National Geographic Image Collection
Hands holding a lobster.
Sustainable Lobster Fishing A lobster is measured by a fisherman in Turneffe Atoll, Belize. The size is checked immediately after it is brought up from the water. If the lobster is too small, it is released unharmed, into the water. © Randy Olson
Woman kneeling in a field at sunset.
Mariana Menoli Mariana Menoli and her family are Brazilian soy farmers in the Santarem region. Her parents were among the first in their state to partner with TNC. The organization helped suppliers develop a system for buying soybeans from farms that comply with deforestation laws. Today, her family still works with TNC on strategies for better field management. © Robert Clark
Tractor on a dry farm
Some modern farming practices leave ground exposed and harm the soil, but TNC is working with partners to boost farmland conservation measures. © Jim Richardson/National Geographic Image Collection

2019

Improving Sustainability on Rented Farms

Landowners who are not farmers own 62% of Midwest farmland, meaning growers are leasing much of the land they farm. TNC is working with partners to help landowners and farmers work together to commit to new conservation practices, ensuring a healthier landscape for growing food and safeguarding water supplies. -Christine Griffiths

People holding shellfish on a boat
Simon Branigan and Ben Cleveland from TNC’s Australia program return measured shellfish to the reef in Clifton Springs, Australia. © Jenny Luu/TNC

2019

Restoring Australia’s Oyster Reefs

The Nature Conservancy’s expertise is driving a bold effort in Australia to restore 60 shellfish reefs in six years. Native oyster reefs were almost wiped out in the early 20th century, but at sites such as Windara Reef, where restoration is underway, new oyster reefs are already fostering diverse marine life. -Dustin Solberg

Sea lion diving with fish.
The Baja California Peninsula is home to 900 fish species. TNC and local partners are helping communities cultivate biodiversity and fisheries productivity by establishing sustainable fishing practices. © Alfredo Martinez Fernandez/TNC Photo Contest 2019

2019

More Fish in the Sea

The rich seas of Baja California support local fishers and provide over 70% of Mexico’s commercial fishing catch, but only 1 out of 10 fisheries are managed sustainably. Over the past three years, TNC and local partners have supported 25 communities in creating no-take fish replenishment zones—allowing populations to rebound. In some of these areas, there have been 30% increases in fish biomass. -Maggie Terry

Water from a river running over smooth rocks.
Improvements in how lands and waters are managed upstream benefits communities throughout the watershed. © Edinson Ivan Arroyo Mora/TNC Photo Contest 2019

2019

New Water Funds Launching in Colombia

The Nature Conservancy and the Latin American Water Funds Partnership pioneered water funds in Latin America. The programs allow cities to fund protection of upstream water sources, such as forests and rivers, to ensure their own water security. In Colombia, thanks to a new coalition of more than 40 partners, the goal is to impact five priority watersheds by 2022. -Kim Nye

A fisherman holding up a group of fish on a boat.
Grouper Fishermen offload their catch aboard the Karima after a trip out to the fishing grounds in Brondong, Lamongan Regency East Java, Indonesia. © Ed Wray

2019

Global Cooperation Protects Indonesian Fisheries

U.S. consumer demand for plate-sized, juvenile snapper is hurting fish populations in Indonesia, the world’s largest source of this valuable fish. Thanks to TNC’s efforts, 14 seafood companies have pledged to not buy immature snapper from Indonesia and instead focus on the more sustainable harvest of larger, adult snappers. -Matt Jenkins

Crops growing in a field.
Fields like this one in the U.S. could thrive well into the future with better soil health practices. A new high-tech program known as OpTIS shows where soil conservation is gaining ground. © Design Pics Inc./National Geographic Image Collection

2019

Mapping Soil Health to Track Progress on Farms

Farmers are increasingly using the latest in conservation practices to renew soil health while also protecting water quality and capturing atmospheric carbon. To accelerate the adoption of these practices and better focus assistance efforts, TNC and key agricultural partners are using publicly available satellite imagery to map soil conservation trends across large areas in the Midwest. -Christine Griffiths

Hands holding a lobster.
Sustainable Lobster Fishing A lobster is measured by a fisherman in Turneffe Atoll, Belize. The size is checked immediately after it is brought up from the water. If the lobster is too small, it is released unharmed, into the water. © Randy Olson

2019

Belize Nearly Triples Its Marine Reserves

Belize announced a bold plan to protect nearly 12% of its waters—almost tripling its marine reserves. TNC played a key role in this effort, lending scientific insights to fishers committed to identifying critical areas for protection. By giving fish room to recover, Belize is securing healthy fisheries across the world’s second-longest reef system. -Maggie Terry

Woman kneeling in a field at sunset.
Mariana Menoli Mariana Menoli and her family are Brazilian soy farmers in the Santarem region. Her parents were among the first in their state to partner with TNC. The organization helped suppliers develop a system for buying soybeans from farms that comply with deforestation laws. Today, her family still works with TNC on strategies for better field management. © Robert Clark

2019

Saving Nature and Expanding Agriculture

South America supplies the world with commodities like beef and soy. Seeing rising pressure to expand farm production into remote forests and grasslands—biodiversity hot spots—TNC and international agricultural partners created Agroideal.org, a powerful online decision-support tool that is proving to help industry balance growth with protection for nature in Brazil, Argentina and, soon, Paraguay. -Melisa Holman

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Our Accomplishments

A person riding a horse past gers and a double rainbow in the South Gobi Desert, Mongolia.

Success

Protecting Land, Oceans & Water

From the grasslands of Mongolia to the Caribbean’s reefs, we help save the world’s most critical habitats.

People enjoy the shade and the view at Gantry Plaza State Park along the East River in Long Island City (Queens), New York. As New York City sees more intense heat waves and frequent storms due to climate change, planting and tending its urban forest will help cool the air and absorb the torrents of rain. Understanding this vital role of the city’s trees, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and local nonprofit New York Restoration Project completed an eight-year project in 2015 to plant 1 million trees.

Success

Building Healthy Cities

With smart planning, science-based strategies and strong partnerships, we can make the green cities of tomorrow resilient, healthy and equitable.

Sunrise aerial image taken near the border of Tennessee and Kentucky of land protected by The Nature Conservancy's Cumberland Forest Project. May 2019. The Cumberland Forest Project protects 253,000 acres of Appalachian forest and is one of TNC’s largest-ever conservation efforts in the eastern United States.

Success

Tackling Climate Change

We’re focusing on innovative, science-based solutions that match the urgency of this crisis.

The time to innovate for nature has never been more critical.

This report demonstrates how The Nature Conservancy is answering this challenge not just within the realm of feeding the world, but across lands, rivers, oceans, climate change and cities.

See the Annual Report Download the PDF