American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is the Western Hemisphere’s bird conservation specialist working to conserve native birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, ABC takes on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation.
ABC’s work includes support for forest conservation and reforestation at significant scales – more than one million acres protected and more than six million trees and shrubs planted. Conserving habitats for native birds through promoting and supporting forest protection and reforestation itself prevents and mitigates carbon emissions in a major way. However, ABC has also worked to quantify its own small direct carbon footprint (office operations, staff travel, etc.) and to ensure that this too is completely and accurately offset.
Covering its own emissions is important not only to ABC but to its supporters as well. Any funder supporting an ABC project – say, for example, a reforestation project – can be certain that 100% of their contribution counts completely towards having a conservation and climate positive impact since ABC has already accounted for its own small footprint separately. This gives ABC’s supporters the confidence that every cent of their donation is directly benefitting birds AND climate change.
Part of ABC’s approach to offsets includes supporting forest conservation projects in Latin America through the direct purchase of carbon credits. We are thrilled that ABC is now partnering with Ecosphere+ to go carbon neutral and is mitigating its operations footprint by supporting the Guatemalan Conservation Coast Project. ABC has long been involved in the area with our implementing partner on the ground, FUNDAECO, on aspects of forest protection, such as support for acquisition and management of several pieces of land involved in the project including the Sierra Caral and Tapon Creek Nature Reserves, and support for local livelihoods. By purchasing carbon credits from this project, ABC is further supporting its partners and protecting forests home to 7-10% of the world’s known bird species and other biodiversity – a triple bottom line for the planet.
Not only has ABC offset its organisational footprint, but it is also contributing to offsets for staff members who calculate and plan to reduce their family’s carbon footprint through Ecosphere+. ABC’s use of nature-based solutions allows them to achieve their climate goals, while at the same time protecting vital habitat for birds across the Western Hemisphere.
Get in touch with us today to find out more about how we can help your business become carbon neutral.
