About us: The Foundation

The Stiftung Pro Artenvielfalt (Foundation Pro Biodiversity), based in Bielefeld, Germany, is a foundation under civil law and has statutory obligations in respect of the protection of endangered wildlife species.

Why we get involved

All wildlife and plant species are essential components of the natural ecological balance and thereby part of the basis of human existence. With each individual extinction, a component dies out and is irreparably lost. Extinction occurs quietly and slowly. On our doorstep, in holiday regions, practically anywhere in the world. The extermination of unique flora and fauna species due to human activity is progressing at an alarming pace. At present, an animal or plant species dies out every 10 minutes - six species an hour - or more than 140 species in a single day! Our planet succumbs progressively to monotony - it is increasingly losing its familiar appearance. In this way, we humans lose our inner calm and emotional balance. Nature's equilibrium, and with it our human quality of life, are guaranteed only by species diversity.

Our Philosophy

A sponsorship obligation for the conservation of biodiversity and endangered wildlife species and their natural habitats.

Our Standpoint

The emergency responders for endangered wildlife species.

Our Aims

In accordance with our statutes, our aims are to secure the existence of endangered wildlife species as far as possible in their traditional habitats. This is a real challenge in the 21st Century.

Depending on the nature of the problem and the situation, our involvement, in line with our statutes, is to:

• preserve natural habitats
• implement concrete species conservation measures
• promote the interests of wildlife conservation in the form of exemplary action
• conduct educational, information and public relations work

Our Statutory Project Work

The Stiftung Pro Artenvielfalt seeks out and initiates wildlife conservation projects with a good chance of success or where acute and challenging situations demand quick decisions and consistent action.

The Foundation's work focuses on the following project priorities:

• Land acquisition for the protection of natural habitats (biotopes) in Germany.
• Land acquisition in the Republic of Italy to secure and provide sustainable protection for migrating bird hotspots (important stopover and feeding sites) along the central European migration route and its defence against disturbances by the deployment of full-time and voluntary Bird Guards.
• Construction of species conservation buildings for endangered structure-dwelling wildlife species.
• Financial support and operational cooperation in the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) bird protection camps along the south European bird migration routes in the Republic of Cyprus, North Cyprus and Sardinia (Republic of Italy).
• Conduct of the Foundation's own bird protection camps on the south-eastern and southern coast of Sicily (Republic of Italy).

The Stiftung Pro Artenvielfalt is also involved in biotope maintenance and development for endangered wildlife species, such as tree crown maintenance for Litte Owl conservation in Paderborner Land (NRW), and landscape maintenance of water, wild orchard and alpine meadows to preserve and rehabilitate the species diversity adapted to these biotope forms.

The Stiftung Pro Artenvielfalt is a committed partner in practical on-site nature and species conservation projects and for the local committed citizens involved. The latter often work 'under the radar', full of idealism and with meagre financial resources. They frequently sacrifice their free time, invest their own money, and often put the conservation and welfare of endangered wildlife species and their habitats before their private interests.

Our Operational Foundation Work

The operational strengths of the Foundation are based on the year-long experience of its operationally active board members since its founding in 2008, its small teams at the Foundation's office in Bielefeld (NRW), and the Foundation's projects in Cyprus and Sicily, as well as a professional, highly qualified network of voluntary workers. This lean organisation structure is recognised and respected in nature conservation circles for its unbureaucratic and cost- and time-efficient projects for endangered wildlife species and wildlife in distress.

The Foundation maintains intensive and constructive contact to:

• regionally active nature conservation organisations and initiatives
• wildlife rescue and rehabilitation stations
• nature conservation authorities at regional, state and federal level
• and the Ministries and regulatory agencies in the Republic of Cyprus, and the regulatory and regional authorities in Sardinia and Sicily (Republic of Italy). This is essential because of the still prevalent illegal practice of migratory bird trapping in these EU member states and for the benefit of the Foundation's local species conservation projects in those countries.

Our Commitment

The staff of the Stiftung Pro Artenvielfalt in Germany and the Republic of Italy is guided by the conviction that the protection of free-living wildlife and their habitats, and the preservation of species diversity, is a generational sponsorship obligation.

Our work is based on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Agenda 21, adopted at the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our Foundation projects for the protection and conservation of endangered wildlife species, their habitats, and the preservation of species diversity also make a concrete contribution to the fulfilment of the species diversity objectives agreed upon at the 2010 Nagoya/Japan UN Species Diversity Conference by 193 ratifying states. Our work aims to preserve the livelihood of free-living wildlife and, where necessary and possible, to improve or reestablish its environment.

Your sponsorship counts

The Foundation is dependent on donations for its statutory work as foundations, unlike nature conservation associations and organisations, have no members. Consequently, it cannot raise membership fees to finance its work. Whether 10, 20, 30 or even 50 euros, your donation helps us implement urgent wildlife conservation projects in Germany and other European countries.

Donate now!