The European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) is looking to fund projects which benefit biodiversity in a wild landscape.

Projects must conserve, protect, enhance, restore, and/or reconnect habitats within a given landscape that are particularly important for the biodiversity there.

Areas

The TWO MAIN areas that MUST be addressed in your application are:

• Protect, enhance or restore threatened key species, habitats or broader ecosystems in ‘wild’ areas: EOCA defines ‘wild’ areas as non-urban environments and ecosystems occurring in as natural a state as possible, given the area’s location and use. This may include for example moorland, hills, mountains, coasts, rivers, forest, grassland, peatland and ocean areas. ‘Key’ species, habitats or ecosystems are defined here as those which are threatened, those which play a ‘keystone’ function, or those which are indicators of broader ecosystem health. The project must identify and address the key threats to the species, habitats or broader ecosystems, and how it will protect and /or enhance them. Innovative solutions to ‘old’ problems will be especially welcome.
• As highlighted above, the project must enhance the experience of outdoor enthusiasts as well as protecting the identified species, habitat or broader ecosystem from any negative impact by their visits. Projects may, for example, enhance a visitor’s experience by protecting a threatened species they might then see, or protect an area by ensuring trails / rock faces / waterways and /or associated information / education keeps visitors from damaging fragile habitats or disturbing vulnerable wildlife.

Outcomes

Your application should include 3 easily identifiable and measurable outcomes to show how the project will address the issues. They should consider:

• Conservation measures addressing specific issues and root causes: What are the identified threats to the species / habitat / ecosystem? What are the impacts of these threats? How are these threats going to be eliminated, alleviated or better managed? How will the habitat / ecosystem be protected, enhanced or restored? How will the project deliver the desired outcomes? How will the experience for the local community, the visitors and the habitat be enhanced in the long term?
• Involvement / engagement of local people: In order for a project to be sustainable, it is vital that local people are fully engaged. If local communities and also communities of interest are not involved, they may not feel any need or desire to ensure that the good work that has been started continues into the future. Obviously, if specialist work needs to be carried out, relevant experts may need to be brought in, but wherever possible, projects will involve the local community, giving them ownership of the project and its outcomes, and contributing to their livelihoods during and after the project.
• Education and communication: Education and communication should be aimed at both local communities and visitors. Education should include communicating responsible ways of enjoying the project area, suggestions as to how visitors and locals can reduce threats to the species, habitat or ecosystem, and ways in which they can help protect the biodiversity of the project area. How will you reach the potential visitors to the area effectively and communicate with the local community, and how will this process continue once EOCA’s funding for the project has finished?

Eligibility Criteria

• Non-profit organisations can apply to EOCA for grants of up to €30,000 to implement a conservation project in any country around the world except North America (US and Canada - where the Conservation Alliance provides funding for conservation efforts from the North American outdoor industry).
• Members of EOCA can nominate up to three projects (from different, or the same organisations) each year. If you, as a conservation organisation, do not have any personal contacts to their members, please do not worry! Apply directly and if your project gets onto the shortlist, they will help you find a nominator!

For more information, visit EOCA