rsg_book_2013

IUCNIUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmaticsolutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. IUCN’swork focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitablegovernance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges inclimate, food and development. IUCN supports scientific research, manages fieldprojects all over the world, and brings governments, NGOs, the UN and companiestogether to develop policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest andlargest global environmental organization, with more than 1,200 government andNGO Members and almost 11,000 volunteer experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’swork is supported by over 1,000 staff in 45 offices and hundreds of partners in public,NGO and private sectors around the world.IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC)The SSC is a science-based network of close to 8,000 volunteer experts from almostevery country of the world, all working together towards achieving the vision of, “Aworld that values and conserves present levels of biodiversity.”Environment Agency - ABU DHABI (EAD)The EAD was established in 1996 to preserve Abu Dhabi’s natural heritage, protectour future, and raise awareness about environmental issues. EAD is Abu Dhabi’senvironmental regulator and advises the government on environmental policy. Itworks to create sustainable communities, and protect and conserve wildlife andnatural resources. EAD also works to ensure integrated and sustainable waterresources management, and to ensure clean air and minimize climate change and itsimpacts.Denver Zoological Foundation (DZF)The DZF is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “secure a better world foranimals through human understanding”. DZF oversees Denver Zoo and conductsconservation education and biological conservation programs at the zoo, in thegreater Denver area, and worldwide. Over 3,800 animals representing more than 650species call Denver Zoo home. A member of the World Association of Zoos andAquariums (WAZA), Denver Zoo’s accreditation from the Association of Zoos andAquariums (AZA) assures the highest standards of animal care. A leader inenvironmental action, Denver Zoo was the first U.S. zoo to receive ISO 14001sustainability certification for its entire facility and operations and in 2011 was votedthe greenest zoo in the country. The ISO 14001 international certification ensures thezoo attains the highest environmental standards. Since 1996, Denver Zoo hasparticipated in over 590 conservation projects in 62 countries. In 2011 alone, DenverZoo participated in 102 projects in 18 countries and spent well over $1.5 million tosupport of wildlife conservation in the field.Re-introduction Specialist Group (RSG)The RSG is a network of specialists whose aim is to combat the ongoing andmassive loss of biodiversity by using re-introductions as a responsible tool for themanagement and restoration of biodiversity. It does this by actively developing andpromoting sound inter-disciplinary scientific information, policy, and practice toestablish viable wild populations in their natural habitats.v