The Turing Foundation seeks to promote and encourage a sustainable and respectful relationship with nature.
Respect is in the interest of nature itself. Sustainability ensures that the
needs of present generations can be met, without reducing the possibilities of future generations to fulfil theirs.
In trying to achieve these aims, the Turing Foundation limits its scope to the following two areas:
More information on submitting an application related to one of these fields can be found in our application procedures.
Below, you will find an impression of previous initiatives by the foundation.
May 2008 |
Preservation of Natural Resources, Timbuktu, Mali
Because of years of draught and a fast population growth, the natural vegetation of the Timbuktu region is under pressure. Because of this
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november 2007 |
€ 1.000.000,- for sustainable agricultural projects in Africa 2008-2010
After the realization of several successful projects within the Small Grants Programme of IUCN Nederland, the Turing Foundation has decided to enter
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September 2007 |
Management ecosystem Murciellagos Bay in the Philippines 2007-2009
Murciellagos Bay is a breeding ground of important and diverse ecosystems, coral reefs, mangrove forests, sea grass beds and rare
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July 2007 |
3 million euros for the Coral Triangle 2007-2012
The World Wildlife Federation is setting up one of its largest and most ambitious projects ever, which aims to project the coral reefs and
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July 2007 |
Sustainable management of the wetlands around Lake Doro in Mali 2007-2009
9,500 people live in eight villages in the tidal area within the project region in South-West Mali: farmers, cattle-breeding nomads and fishermen. These people
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July 2007 |
Dungonab Bay and Sanganeb Atoll National Parks 2008-2012
African Parks helps the Sudanese government in managing, conserving and restoring two national parks. The Turing Foundation contributes 1 million euros to the Sanganeb Atoll Marine
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The Coral Triangle Initiative
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The Coral Triangle
No place on earth has such great biodiversity as the Coral Triangle. The triangle covers almost 6,000,000 km2 and stretches out as far as Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, East Timor and Brunei Darussalam. The triangle is a true nursery of the sea, being the home of 75% of all coral species and of more than 3,000 different fish species.
The area is seriously threatened by a range of factors, such as overfishing, destructive fishing (for example by the use of dynamite and cyanide), global warming and pollution.
Here, the World Wildlife Federation is setting up one of its largest and most ambitious projects ever, which aims to introduce a new, long term model for the sustainable management of this wildlife area – before the combination of threatening factors will have left a permanent mark on it, and on the millions of households that depend on it.
The project requires a whole range of simultaneous initiatives that address the various threats. If organised in the proper way, the initiatives will reinforce each other. A specially formed Coral Triangle Team will coordinate the entire project, and will in the coming years revise the strategy if necessary – possibly by developing new initiatives.
The eventual purpose of this project is to save the nurseries of the Coral Triangle, which are of vital importance to the conservation of a healthy ecosystem in the oceans and along the coasts of the Coral Triangle.
In the six years to come, the Turing Foundation contributes € 3,000,000 in total to the six sub-initiatives that are part of the first phase of the programme. These six initiatives are described below.
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1. Sustainable Finance for Networks of Marine Protected Areas
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A new foundation will be established for the identification and management of protected marine areas in the Coral Triangle, which consist of 50,000 km2 of coral reefs, 50,000 km2 of mangrove forests, and breeding grounds and migration routes of important fish species in 500,000 km2 of open water.
The foundation helps to bridge budget gaps, until the local governments have their financial situations in order. The foundation is also able to offer immediate help should there be urgent needs in the protected areas.
The Turing Foundation will contribute € 600,000 to this foundation.
A 1.5 metre Napoleon fish. These special coral fish are captured alive and then kept in the aquaria of very chic restaurants. Sometimes ten thousand square metres of coral are poisoned by cyanide to stun just one fish, after which the divers haul the stunned animal up between the coral into a mobile aquarium.
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2. Managing Tuna nurseries and bycatch
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Tuna fishing yields food and income for tens of millions of people living in the Coral Triangle. Besides, tuna plays a crucial role in the ecology of the coral reefs.
The governments in the Coral Triangle acknowledge that their fishing areas can be continuous sources of food and income, as long as they are managed in the right way. Therefore, they have laid down laws for the sustainable use of these areas. However, structural overfishing has been taking place during the past twenty years.
Together with the business community and the government strategies and solutions will have to be designed to prevent the loss of tuna production in the Coral Triangle. The Turing Foundation will donate € 650,000 to this sub-initiative, which will run until 2010.
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3. Live Reef Fish Trade Transformation
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This programme intends to achieve a recovery of the diverse fish population in the Coral Triangle, and a reduction of destructive fishing methods (such as dynamite fishing). One of the actions is the establishment of a Trade Association in the fishing industry (especially in Hong Kong) to promote sensible trade in the species of fish concerned. Simultaneously, plans will be made to encourage consumers to buy only fish that has been MSC certified.
The Turing Foundation will contribute € 300,000 to the LRFTT-programme, which will run until 2010.
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4. Protecting Endangered Turtles
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Six out of the seven species of sea turtles we have on this earth live in the Coral Triangle. The animals are threatened most by the accidental bycatch of fishermen and by the loss of breeding habitat along the coasts. These majestic animals do not only play a principle role in the tourist industry; they also have an important symbolic meaning in initiatives and fundraising related to the protection of the Coral Triangle.
The main purpose of this sub-project is to make certain that half of all migration routes, feeding areas and breeding habitats of sea turtles have a protected status by 2010. Moreover, WWF intends to halve the fishery bycatch of turtles, for example by distributing more than 300,000 circle hooks among the fisher fleet for the prevention of bycatch.
The Turing Foundation will contribute € 250,000 to this sub-project.
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5. Responding to Climate Change through reduction of Tourism and travel footprint
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Global warming is bad for coral reefs – the corals will bleach, lose all their colour and eventually die. This is at the expense of marine life; it will limit fishing opportunities and reduce opportunities for tourism (which is an important source of income and an important stimulus for the protection of the corals).
It is possible to help to coral reefs by avoiding any further negative impact of climate change, and by reducing other disturbing effects on their health (such as polluting industries, tourism and fishing).
The Turing Foundation will contribute € 600,000 to this sub-initiative, which will run until 2010.
The Coral Triangle Initiative is a dynamic programme. It can be expected that extra activities are needed in the years to come in order to guarantee the success of the total project. Extra budget is already being made available for such future activities.
The Turing Foundation subscribes to this realistic viewpoint and commits € 600,000 support to these currently unnamed sub-projects.
see also:
Miljoenenschenking voor WNF-koraalproject (WWF)
Donation for Coral Protection (EZNC)
Dr. Lida Pet Soede (WWF) over het Coral Triangle Initiative (Television)
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Ecosystem Management for the Murciellagos Bay, Philippines
Murciellagos Bay is a breeding ground of important and diverse ecosystems. The bay covers 8,000 hectares and is home to rare and endangered fish, shellfish and sea turtle species. The area is threatened by pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing. The Philippine organisation PARTS (Partner for Rural & Technical Service) tries to have part of the coral reefs, mangrove forests and sea grass beds identified as Marine Protected Areas, so as to stop illegal fishing practices and encourage the recovery of the ecosystem and fish stock. The ambition is to achieve a sustainable balance between nature conservation and the local economy, for instance by strengthening the fishing organisations in most of the 24 local fishing villages, and by investing in nature education for the local community.
The Turing Foundation and IUCN Nederland will together contribute the sum of € 90,000 to this project, which runs until June 2009.
Fishing village, Murciellagos Bay, Philippines
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Sustainable management of the biodiversity in the Lamit Bay, Philippines
The Philippine organisation NSLC (Network of Sustainable Livelihoods Catalysts) is devoted to a sustainable conservation of Philippine nature. The rich biodiversity of Lamit Bay is threatened by commercial overfishing and dynamite fishing. The local community, dependent on fishing and on the cultivation of red seaweed, will cooperate in the protection of a network of ‘no-take zones’ covering 350 hectares (in the form of Marine Protected Areas). Expectations are that this protection of coral reefs, sea grass areas and mangrove forests will lead to the sustainable conservation of the entire bay (50,000 hectares). The training of the local community and the tapping of sustainable alternative sources of income play an essential role in this project.
The Turing Foundation and IUCN Nederland will together contribute € 88,000 towards the costs of the project until July 2010.
Zicht op Lamit Bay, Filippijnen
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Dungonab Bay and Sanganeb Atoll Marine National Park, Sudan
African Parks helps African governments in managing, conserving and restoring seven National Parks. The foundation raises funds during the initial phase (sometimes lasting decades), sets up a financially sustainable park management and supports the economically sustainable development of the communities in and around the parks.
Sanganeb Atoll Marine National Park is the only Atoll in the Red Sea, located approximately 23 kilometres off the coast, near Port Sudan. Relatively unspoiled coral reefs can be found here, including the fauna associated with them. The park covers roughly 25 km2 (and 250 km2 including the buffer zone surrounding it). The area has been nominated twice to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Dungonab Bay National Park, located on the West coast of the Red Sea, consists of 800 km2 of coast, coral reefs and islands. The park offers a great diversity of habitats and animal species, amongst which important endangered species such as the Dugong. Two villages (one of which is Dungonab) are located within the park boundaries. The commitment of the population and their sustainable economic development therefore form a very important part of the management plan for the park.
During the coming five years, the Turing Foundation contributes € 1,000,000 to the protection and establishment of a sustainable management of these two national parks.
see also:
Donatie voor zeeparken in Soedan (Afrika Nieuws)
Grant for African Parks from The Turing Foundation (APC)
Information about the Sudan national parks (APC)
Dungonab Bay Marine National Park
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Sustainable organic agriculture and cattle breeding
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Preservation of Natural Resources, Timbuktu, Mali, 2008-2010
Because of years of draught and a fast population growth, the natural vegetation of the Timbuktu region is under pressure. Because of this, important sources of income for the local population are threatened to be lost. The Dutch development organisation ICCO and the Malinese organisation OMAES are running a project in 10 villages in this region in North Mali, which offers alternative sources of income to the women of the 15 poorest households in each village (market gardening and durable small live stock holding) including training.
The Turing Foundation will contribute € 100,000 to this project in the coming three years (2008 through 2010).
Timbuktu region, Mali
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€ 1,000,000 for sustainable IUCN agricultural projects in Africa
After the realization of several successful projects,
the Turing Foundation has decided to enter into a structural partnership with the
Small Grants Programme
of IUCN Nederland.
In the next three years (2008-2010), the Turing Foundation makes available
€ 1,000,000 for IUCN projects in the field of sustainable
(organic) agriculture and cattle breeding in Africa.
Having this guarantee will enable the IUCN to more efficiently submit
projects to the Turing Foundation and on top of that to use the structural
commitment as a catalyst to interest other sponsors to contribute to the Small Grants Programme.
see also:
IUCN NL ontvangt € 1 miljoen van Turing Foundation voor Afrika (IUCN NL)
sustainable agricultural projects in Africa
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Sustainable agriculture/forestry in the Missahoe Forest Reserve, Togo
In Togo, IUCN Nederland works together with the local organisation Les Compagnions Ruraux to recover part of the rainforest. This rainforest has been seriously impoverished due to human activities, but it still houses a very important biodiversity. Based on positive experiences in an earlier forest recovery programme, 7,000 people of five villages will be involved in a project of ‘analogous planting’. This means that the new plantings will have almost the same function as the rainforest, but will in part consist of economically interesting species of trees, such as coffee, pepper tree and certain kinds of fruit trees.
The Turing Foundation finances this project, which runs until July 2009 (€ 83,000).
Missahoe forest reserve, Togo
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Sustainable small-scaled agriculture in Borgou, Benin
In an attempt to bring the dramatic loss of biodiversity in Borgou to a standstill, IUCN Nederland works together with the local organisation CRFA to develop and implement alternative and improved agricultural systems around the Antisua community forest.
The local community is being trained in the small-scaled production of soy (which is very effective in soil enrichment), reforesting, forest management, beekeeping, poultry farming, crop rotation strategies and in the production of small energy-efficient wood-burning stoves.
The Turing Foundation finances this project until 2009 (€ 60,000).
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Sustainable management of wetlands around Lake Doro in Mali
IUCN Nederland joins forces with the Malinese organisation DONKO to coordinate the sustainable management of Lake Doro and adjacent tidal areas in South-West Mali. 9,500 people live in eight villages within the project region: farmers, cattle-breeding nomads and fishermen. Efforts are being made to make these people and the local authorities aware of the importance of sustainable nature conservation, and to help them to reach mutual agreements to that end. The people are supported in tapping alternative sources of income, for example by the contribution of material and knowledge in the field of sustainable vegetable growing, sustained fishing and tree planting.
The Turing Foundation finances this project, which runs until July 2009 (€ 44,000).
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