Wild Spots Foundation Mission Statement

Wild Spots Foundation saves habitats of endangered species.

Wild Spots Foundation is uniquely dedicated to saving valuable habitats around the world through a variety of programs that promote, defend, and protect biodiversity* through education, visual arts, ecotourism, science and technology. Specifically, the doctrine of the Foundation is to serve conservation beyond utilitarian reasons by incorporating a sense of stewardship and ownership, which protect the world's valuable wild spots (ecosystems and associated biodiversity) in return for the physical, aesthetic and spiritual sustenance it offers for generations to come.

Significance Statement

The Foundation believes in the critical value of biodiversity* and that the interaction between living things and their environment sustains life on earth. From a human perspective, knowing that plants and animals are located in a variety of places on earth captures the imagination, encourages the interaction, and evokes emotions of mankind. Consequently, the Foundation through education teaches the ecology of habitats, the biology of threatened and endangered species, and the ethnology of the indigenous peoples who populate these areas. The Foundation believes that photography and its related art forms promote and protect species in remote places on earth, technology connects these areas to the Internet, and ecotourism provides necessary income to perpetuate the Foundation’s programs.

Commitment

The Wild Spots Foundation, Inc. is committed to carry out activities oriented towards the conservation of natural resources, wildlife preservation, and environmental education throughout the world including, but not limited to, the Amazonia Cloud Forest are of Ecuador, Africa, Malaysia, Australia, United Arab Emirates and in the State of Florida.

Values

In the conduct of its activities, the Wild Spots Foundation, Inc. supports the following values: institutional autonomy with respect to other organizations, national, and international; pluralism in matters ideological, political, ethnic, and geographic; honesty and transparency in actions, procedures, and responsibilities; and equal opportunity of participation for all sectors of society engaged in the objectives of Wild Spots Foundation, Inc.

Institutional Objectives

To promote and protect biodiveristy throughout the world. The Foundation believes in the intrinsic value of biodiversity* and that the interaction between living things and their environment sustains life on earth.

Strategy: The Foundation believes that photography and its related art forms, can promote and protect species in remote places on earth, as well as provide a philosophical motivation to conserve biodiversity, in all of its definitions.
To provide aesthetic and symbolic value for human cultures. The Foundation believes that by supporting cultural diversity, promoting and protecting historical monuments and places, and documenting the inspirational life of indigenous peoples, connections can be made with powerful symbols that are taken from the natural world.

Strategy: The Foundation believes that activism, travel, and interaction between humans and the natural world provide a fundamental foundation for social ecology and the protection of biodiversity.
To preserve sacred and historic lands. In various places throughout the world, natural areas (sections of rainforests, entire mountains, and other geographical locations) have survived because of the spiritual meaning they hold for people who live there. Traditional practices of preserving scared land in its natural state have serves as an effective conservation strategy to protect biodiversity around the world.

Strategy: The Foundation believes that teaching provides strength in protecting these sensitive areas.
To support and exploit the concept of transformative value. Bryan Norton, in his book, Why Preserve Natural Variety, identifies this concept as essential to the way humans view the natural world. By looking at an object or symbol, such as a flower, an animal, and even historic structures, humans go beyond the knowledge of knowing that it is “there” by providing an occasion to examine or alter the experience.

Strategy: The Foundation believes that exploration actively protects biodiveristy.
To following the principles of stewardship. Developing responsibility to manage life and property with proper regard to the rights of others, as well as understanding the intrinsic value of all biodiversity an important attribute.

Strategy: The Foundation believes that by demonstrating the principles of stewardship, protecting biodiversity will be achieved.
To educate and involve youth. A Kenyan proverb says, The earth was not given to you by your parents; it was lent to you by your children. According to E.O. Wilson, The earth is not our to bequeath; we are but its stewards. A common value to all human population is to make life better for their children. Biodiversity cannot exist in a vacuum. Protection of natural areas, biopreserves, zoological gardens, and historic places represent commitments adult populations have made to future generations.” Wilson notes that without the health of surrounding ecosystems and the health of humankind everywhere, the loan made to us by our children may be returned neglected, diminished, and poorer for generations to come.

Strategy: The Foundation believes in incorporating the concept of intergenerational value in its programs

Institutional Strategies Worldwide

Support and promote ecotourism as a method of protecting biodiversity* .
Support and promote photographic/video/digital documentation of natural, historic, religious, and ancient areas around the world.
Develop the physical infrastructure of the Foundation
by creating and maintaining a Cloud Forest Biodiversity Education and Research Center in Baños, Ecuador;
by acquiring property in South Florida for a research library;

by developing a Master Plan for infra-structure development; and
by seeking financial support to carry out the Master Plan

by developing public relations programs, fund raising, donations, and membership development, and
by developing materials to publicize the objectives and activities of the Foundation.

Institutional Objectives and Strategies Amazonia Cloud Forest of Ecuador

Promote, protect, and defend the biodiversity* of the Amazonia Cloud Forest found in the Tungurahua Province of Ecuador.
by building and maintaining a Cloud Forest Biodiversity Research Center,
by developing and implementing educational programs for the youth of Tungurahua, and
by developing and implementing travel programs for citizens of all countries
Conduct and promote research on the native flora and fauna of the Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador
by carrying out general and quantitative inventories if the native flora and fauna of Ecuador;
by developing and implementing educational programs for the youth of Tungurahua;
by developing and implementing travel programs for citizens of all countries;
by supporting applied studies on the use and conservation of flora and fauna resources.
by supporting research scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and private students in the Americas in ecology, taxonomy, social ecology, ornithology, and mammology; and

Support and promote the activities of the San Martin Zoological Gardens
by providing veterinarian examination rooms for zoological species;
by providing educational meeting rooms for Ecuadorian school children;
by providing educational materials for visitors to the zoological gardens; and
by providing and maintaining educational facilities to develop distance learning activities to schools for the Americas.
Develop and implement environmental education programs with the Province of Tungurahua for the study, promotion, and protection of Cloud Forest Biodiversity
by providing a science teacher education program sponsored by Nova Southeastern University that is adapted to Ecuadorian college graduates with majors in biology, botany, zoology, and environmental science to teach concepts and principles about biodiversity* to Ecuadorian school children;
by hiring Ecuadorian college graduates with bachelor’s degrees (or equivalents) as field teachers to be trained by NSU faculty and assigned throughout the Province to teach the principles of social ecology, ecology, biodiversity, and environmentalism to Ecuadorian students;
by creating and implementing programs for adult populations including, but not limited to docent programs for the San Martin Zoological Gardens; programs for Province farmers about insecticide/pesticide use; and programs to create biological corridors
by creating and implementing programs in ecotourism for visitors, travelers, travel agents, tour and travel promoters

Institutional Objectives and Strategies South Florida (USA)

Promote, protect, and defend the biodiversity* of the South Florida including, but not limited to the Florida Keys, The Everglades, and the Coral Reef System from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West
by acquiring facilities to maintain a private library, collect and disperse research materials, provide for members going to or returning from research assignments, and provide support for local preservation/conservation groups;
by developing and implementing educational programs for the youth of South Florida; and
by developing and implementing travel programs for citizens of all countries.

Conduct and promote research on the native flora and fauna of South Florida
by carrying out general and quantitative inventories if the native flora and fauna of South Florida;
by supporting research scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and private students in the Americas in ecology, taxonomy, social ecology, ornithology, and mammalogy; and
By supporting applied studies on the utilization ad conservation of floristic and faunistic resources.

To protect natural and historic areas of South Florida
by actively supporting and working with local public park systems at the city and county levels
by actively supporting efforts of historical societies to protect, preserve, and rehabilitate historical landmarks and buildings

*Biodiversity is a term that was coined in 1988. It is now part of everyday language and used around the world.

According to E.O. Wilson, eminent researcher and Harvard ecologist, biodiversity means all of the variety of life on earth organized in three principal levels: the variety of ecosystems, the variety of species, and the variety of genes within the individual species. From high school biology most remember the importance of diversity within gene pools of individual species. Because of randomization and independentness a great deal of diversity occurs at the genetic level so that the individual may be strong and viable.

The same concept is true of species. There are over 2.1 million named species in the world. Taxonomists estimate there are somewhere between 30 - 100 million species yet to be named. Each species occupies a specific niche, or job, within its ecosystem. Consequently, a vast variety of species are important to habitats so that the community can be maintained and survive. Again, a vast variety of species is necessary to provide for life-supporting interactions within ecosystems. Consequently, the more variety of species, the stronger the ecosystem.

The third concept of biodiversity occurs at the ecosystem level. The physical conditions of temperature and precipitation provide for climatic patterns to form biogeographical regions throughout the world. It is within these areas, or biomes, that ecosystems exist to support the species of the world. The varieties of these ecosystems, in turn, provide a stability and strength of life on earth.

Wilson maintains that protecting biodiveristy at each of these levels is crucial to sustaining human existence. An important extension to this concept is cultural diversity. The elements of conservation and preservation must be part of the human social fabric so as to maintain the viability of humankind. Promoting, protecting, and educating humans about genetic biodiveristy, species biodiversity, ecosystem biodiversity, as well as cultural diversity can only serve to strengthen human survival.

Wilson continues, "Our lack of knowledge about so much of he natural world, as well as ambiguities inherent in the concept of biodiversity, make it difficult to assign a clear or precise definition. And yet, how one defines "biodiversity" has significant implications for policy-makers, and we must remain aware of these implications we work to conserve this thing called biodiversity."

The vision for Wild Spots Foundation, Inc., a Florida not-for-profit corporation, and applicant for the IRS 503(C) status, is to promote, defend, and protect biodiversity (in all of its forms) worldwide. Specifically, the goals of the Foundation serve conservation beyond utilitarian reasons. The Foundation, through its projects and programs, incorporates a sense of stewardship and ownership that protect the world's biodiversity in return for the physical, aesthetic and spiritual sustenance it offers for generations to come.

The Foundation believes in the existence value of biodiversity. Knowing that plants and animals are located in a variety of places on earth captures the imagination of humans. The Foundation believes that photography and its related art forms, can promote and protect species in remote places on earth, as well as provide a philosophical reason to conserve biodiversity, in all of its definitions.

Biodiversity provides aesthetic and symbolic value for human cultures. The Foundation believes that by supporting cultural diversity, promoting and protecting historical monuments and places, and documenting the inspirational life of indigenous peoples, connections can be made with powerful symbols that are taken from the natural world. The Foundation believes that activism, travel, and interaction between humans and the natural world provide a fundamental foundation for social ecology and the protection of biodiversity.

In various places throughout the world, natural areas (sections of rainforests, entire mountains, and other geographical locations) have survived because of the spiritual meaning they hold for people who live there. Traditional practices of preserving scared land in its natural state have serves as an effective conservation strategy to protect biodiversity around the world. The Foundation believes that public knowledge of these places provide strength in protecting these sensitive areas.

The Foundation supports and exploits the concept of transformative value. Bryan Norton, in his book, Why Preserve Natural Variety, identifies this concept as essential to the way humans view the natural world. By looking at an object or symbol, such as a flower, an animal, and even historic structures, humans go beyond the knowledge of knowing that it is "there" by providing an occasion to examine or alter the experience. Consequently, the Foundation believes that exploration is another key to protect biodiveristy.

Developing responsibility to manage life and property with proper regard to the rights of others, as well as understanding the intrinsic value of all biodiversity an important attribute. The Foundation believes that by demonstrating the principles of stewardship, protecting biodiversity will be achieved.

A Kenyan proverb says, " The earth was not given to you by your parents' it was lent to you by your children." According to E.O. Wilson, "The earth is not our to bequeath; we are but its stewards." A common value to all human population is to make life better for their children. Biodiversity cannot exist in a vacuum. Protection of natural areas, biopreserves, zoological gardens, and historic places represent commitments adult populations have made to future generations. Wilson notes that without the health of surrounding ecosystems and the health of humankind everywhere, the loan made to us by our children may be returned neglected, diminished, and poorer for generations to come. Consequently, the Foundation believes in intergenerational value and that young people are keys to saving biodiversity.