Tropical forests, wetlands and other wildlife habitats are crucial for the survival of endangered species like parrots, poison dart frogs or orchids. The IUCN NL Small Grants for the Purchase of Nature (SPN) programme has enabled over 50 local organisations to safeguard and manage threatened nature in 30 countries all over the world.

SPN has a nine year track record of assessing, selecting and monitoring land purchase projects. Since it’s inception in 2001, SPN received over 300 funding requests. Of these, 80 requests have been granted, covering about 22.000 hectare of wildlife habitat thanks to funding by the National Postcode Lottery.

Every year dozens of funding requests from NGOs are screened thoroughly. A wide network of experts from all over the world is involved in this screening process. Strict criteria are used to ensure only the best proposals from the most capable local NGOs make it through this selection. They have proven capacity in natural resource management and skills to work in close cooperation with local communities.

High funding priority is given to:

• Land purchase in or adjacent to areas with a high biodiversity value, like AZE (Alliance for Zero Extinction) - sites, IBAs (Important Bird Areas) or Ramsar sites;
• Areas with ecosystems and/or species listed Critically Endangered or Endangered on the IUCN Red List;
• Land purchase involving ecosystems under represented in the public protected areas system (for example dry forests in Mexico, Ecuador);
• Areas with a strategic importance for the protection of the hinterland (buffer zones) or connect important areas (corridors).
  
  

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