In the News
NEWS
Reserva and EcoMinga Featured in New Documentary Series “Wild Hope,” Now Available on PBS
WATCH ON PBS (USA) or WATCH IN THE WORLD WILDLIFE DAY FILM SHOWCASE (Global) | Ecuador is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, yet its wild spaces are also among the most threatened. In 2008, the country became the first nation in the world to enshrine the “rights of nature” in its constitution—granting wild species their own legal rights to exist. Now, conservationists are putting this powerful political tool to the test, invoking those constitutional rights of nature to save areas of unique biodiversity.
In 28 minutes, “Wild Hope: Does Nature Have Rights?” weaves the legal concept of nature’s rights into an uplifting tale about how a local organization working to save Ecuador’s cloud forests through scientific research, private protected areas, and sustainable agriculture converges with a budding youth conservation group to take on one of the biggest threats to nature in the Tropical Andes—gold mining.
The full series is now available on PBS.org and the PBS app for US viewers, and will be available for global viewing on the PBS Nature YouTube later this summer. Stay tuned for updates at wildhope.tv and @wildhopetv on Instagram. The series is an HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and Part2 Pictures production in co-production with Wild Elements.
INTERVIEW
Inspiring The Next Generation of Conservation
Thursday, June 1 2023 | Click here to read this interview with Callie Broaddus in Plantings, a journal from World Sensorium / Conservancy.
World Sensorium / Conservancy’s mission is to provide guidance for individuals who wish to contribute to the conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants and address biodiversity loss.
Awards
Avery Tilley Named a 2023 National Geographic Young Explorer!
May 2, 2023 | LINK | Congratulations to Reserva Youth Council member Avery Tilley (22, US and Cherokee Nation) for this live-changing award. Avery is a wildlife disease researcher focused on advancing wildlife health initiatives across tribal lands. Follow Avery’s work on Instagram at @theaverytilley_.
AWARDS
Joe Wilkins (right) at the awards ceremony in the Houses of Parliament in London. Also pictured are co-winner Gethin Jenkins-Jones and Sophie Marple, Chair of Trustees, The Climate Coalition. Credit: The Climate Coalition.
Youth Council member Joe Wilkins wins Westminster climate and nature award
Congratulations to Youth Council member, Joe Wilkins, on winning a Green Heart Hero Award for his work delivering Nature Positive workshops across Wales.
The awards are coordinated by The Climate Coalition to recognise the people, politicians, businesses and more who have gone the extra mile to help create a cleaner, greener future. Attending the ceremony were MPs and Peers from across Westminster parties, NGO leaders and presenters.
NEWS
Edge Hill University Awards Scholarship to Budding Conservationist
Congratulations to our long-time Reserva Youth Council member, Haidee Bailey, on winning a well-deserved scholarship! Haidee has been one of the most consistent and ready-to-help members of the Youth Council for more than three years.
NEWS
Washington Post Interview with Callie Broaddus
The Washington Post featured a Q&A with Reserva founder Callie Broaddus in their new Climate Solutions section, sponsored by Rolex. Read the full interview at the link below.
“Number one, we have to stop the bleeding. We are losing forests at a much faster rate than we should be, and marine ecosystems as well. We need to stop the loss of nature first — we need to do that for our survival.
Then we need to start building those [protected] spaces. There is no novel solution or shortcut that is going to turn the tide on these problems. We need to firmly protect what remains, halt deforestation by changing the way the global economy relies on nature to inflate its productivity. Then we need to implement a plan that will allow the reforestation, or the recovery, of tracks of land that have already been lost.”
AWARDS & Press Release
Reserva Partner Javier Robayo Named One of “50 People Changing the World” by The Explorers Club
Javier Robayo, the executive director of Reserva’s partner organization, Fundación EcoMinga, was recognized yesterday as one of “The Explorers Club 50: Fifty People Changing the World the World Needs to Know About.” This award comes at a critical moment for conservation in Ecuador. Extractive industries are threatening the survival of some of the world’s most biodiverse and unique ecosystems, including areas presumed to be protected. It is leaders like Javier who will ensure Ecuador’s youth have a livable future with clean drinking water, stable soil, and healthy ecosystems sustained by rich biodiversity.
Download our Press Release. | See the news on the Explorers Club website!
Interview
Photo by KK Ottesen for Terra Alpha Investments, LLCTerra Alpha Voices
Terra Alpha Voices | Callie Broaddus
Thursday, February 3, 2022 | Terra Alpha Voices highlights thought leaders who are doing important work around the world. This series, created in partnership with author and photographer KK Ottesen, seeks to shed light on the subjects’ diverse perspectives rather than their illustrious careers.
AWARDS
Lorena Patrício Silva Named a National Geographic Young Explorer!
LINK – We are delighted to congratulate Youth Council member Lorena (19, Brazil) on being part of the 2021 #GenGeo cohort of Young Explorers. Lorena has been deeply involved in Reserva since she joined our team in March 2021, and we hope you will celebrate her success with us! From the National Geographic website: “Lorena Patrício Silva is a birder and conservationist studying environment and sustainability at Cornell University. She works to connect young birders with each other and founded the first camp for young birders in Brazil in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.”
Justin Sather Featured on ABC News
Grants
Finley’s Green Leap Forward Awards $10,000 to Reserva for Youth-Funded Reserve Project
April 22, 2021 – The fund established by 18-year-old Finley Broaddus during her battle with cancer awarded $85,000 on Earth Day to organizations fighting climate change.
PRESS RELEASE
Youth Launching a Global 5K & 1-Mile Dash to Save the Chocó Forest of Ecuador
After completing a 45-mile ultramarathon to raise funds to protect habitat for endangered species, a Reserva Youth Council member is encouraging others to embark on their own Run for the Rainforest.
Awards & Recognition
Callie Broaddus Honored in The Explorers Club 50
LINK – January 27, 2021 – Reserva founder & executive director Callie Broaddus has been included in the inaugural class of The Explorers Club 50: fifty people changing the world the world needs to know about. Download the PDF here.
“It is such an honor to be part of this diverse group of people who are working to understand, explore, and protect our world! An idea is only as good as the people who implement it, so I share this with the Reserva community and our partners EcoMinga, Rainforest Trust, and GEOS Foundation. And a biiiig thank you to Joe Grabowski for the nomination!” – Callie
Other press:
Discovery Channel - 50 People Changing the World You Should Know About
Forbes - The Iconic Explorers Club Honors 50 Members Including 21 Remarkable Women
Awards & Recognition
Lucy Houliston & Sruthi Gurudev Named National Geographic Young Explorers!
LINK - January 26, 2021 - We are so excited to celebrate that TWO of Reserva’s Youth Council members have been named to the Fall 2020 Class of National Geographic Young Explorers. They are part of a group of 24 incredible young changemakers and storytellers from around the globe, and their projects will advance youth participation in conservation and eco-journalism. Please join us in congratulating Lucy and Sruthi by sharing this fantastic news with your networks!
Press inquiries:
Please contact Callie Broaddus at info@reservaylt.org.
Judges Announced for Frog Naming Competition!
Reserva’s ongoing competiton to name a new species of frog will be judged by a panel of esteemed scientists and conservationists, including:
• Dr. Grethel Aguilar: IUCN Regional Director for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean
• Luis E. Baquero: Orchidaceae Researcher, University of the Americas, Ecuador
• Dr. Paula Kahumbu: CEO of Wildlife Direct, Whitley Award winner, National Geographic Explorer and Buffet Award winner
• Dr. Albert Yu-Min Lin: National Geographic Explorer and TV host; UCSD Research Scientist; Member of the GEOS Foundation Board of Directors
• Dr. Robert Ridgely: President of Rainforest Trust; Founder of Jocotoco Foundation; Author of Birds of Ecuador
• Dr. Ellen Stofan: John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum; former NASA Chief Scientist; Member of the Board of Trustees of the National Geographic Society
• Georgie White: Head of Partnerships, Whitley Fund for Nature
Hyloscirtus sp. CC | photo by Callie Broaddus
Global Competition Offers Youth Opportunity of a Lifetime:
Chance to Name Newly Discovered Frog Species
Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, the group known for their ongoing effort to create the world’s first entirely youth-funded nature reserve, is holding a competition for children and youth 26 and under to officially name a newly discovered species of torrent frog found on their site in Ecuador’s Andean Chocó cloud forest. Judges include some of the world’s foremost scientists and conservationists. Entries close September 30, 2020.
ARTICLE
Running for the Rainforest: Joe Wilkins to Run 45 Miles of Welsh Coast
Reserva Youth Council Member Joe Wilkins will soon be running a 45-mile stretch of the Ceredigion coastal path to raise money for Reserva and another wonderful charity, Mental Health Monster. Those who want to support Joe’s massive effort can do so here: www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/joecoastalchallenge.
Awards & Recognition
Justin Sather Recognized by Action for Nature Awards
Reserva Youth Council Member Justin Sather, 9, from Los Angeles, California, is one of seventeen young environmental activists from across the globe honored by Action for Nature (AFN) as a 2020 International Young Eco-Hero, an award that recognizes eco-conscious youth aged 8 to 16 for their creative initiatives aimed at tackling critical environmental challenges. Justin won third prize in the 8-12 year-old age category for his project, For Love of Frogs.
Lately, Justin has been working toward his goal of raising $730 for our youth-funded reserve project—that’s enough to fund an entire acre of land. What’s more, thanks to the Rainforest Trust SAVES Challenge, his donations will be doubled to fund TWO acres!
Article
Celina Chien Interviewed for CGTN (China Global Television Network)
Excerpt: “Chien is 21, but even at her relatively young age she's already achieved so much: she's a biologist, a conservationist and a photojournalist. ‘They call me an activist, but I wouldn't really call myself a climate activist.’ For Chien, there's so much more to it: she talks about a biodiversity crisis, for which there's not really an activist label.”
TV interview
Bella Lack Impresses Viewers of UK Daytime Show “This Morning”
Youth Director Bella Lack was doggedly optimistic about our planet’s future in this nearly ten-minute interview on This Morning with Eamonn & Ruth.
“I sort of feel the planet is doomed,” bemoans Eamonn, “Do you feel the planet is doomed?”
“Well, I’m not really a therapist,” quips Bella, “But, we can be overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem or we can fall in love with the creativity of the solution.” Watch the full interview below!
Article
Bella Lack Featured by British Vogue
Bella writes about five ways to catalyze systemic change for the planet in her piece, “This Schoolgirl Conservationist Wants You To Be Positive About The Climate Crisis.”
PRESS RELEASE
Lizzie Daly Hosts Youth-Led Charity Concert on International Day for Biological Diversity
Organized by Reserva: The Youth Land Trust to benefit Rainforest Trust, the event will feature a mix of music and conversation with celebrated artists and young conservationists. Viewers can watch live on Instagram at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time only on @rainforesttrust this Friday.
ARTICLE
Elizabeth Wathuti, photo by Aitor Baez as featured in the Guardian.
Reserva Youth Council Member Elizabeth Wathuti Featured in The Guardian Story on Climate Anxiety
Written by by Matthew Taylor and Jessica Murray, the article titled “‘Overwhelming and terrifying’: the rise of climate anxiety” features Kenyan youth climate activist Elizabeth Wathuti. Elizabeth is a Reserva Youth Council member, a Wangari Maathai Scholar, and the founder of her own nonprofit, the Green Generation Initiative.
Queen’s Commonwealth Trust Promotes Reserva for SDG15 - Life on Land
The UK Royals’ Charity promoted Reserva across its social media platforms, sharing information about our projects and youth director, Bella Lack. The promotion is part of QCT’s effort to promote youth leaders spearheading projects capable of contributing significantly toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Article
The Youth Who Took Over COP25 Look Back on Their Adventure | Connect4Climate
Connect4Climate Youth Takeover at the COP25 Madrid Climate Conference, with the winners of the UN / tvebiomovies Global Youth Video Competition.
Article
French Kaizen Magazine Features Reserva
The article is in French, but we’re pretty sure it says nice things! ;)
Reserva founder Callie Broaddus at the COP25 Climate Conference in Madrid, Spain. Photo by Alban Elkaïm for Kaizen Magazine.
Callie Broaddus speaks on stage at the COP25 2019 Global Youth Video Competition Awards Ceremony, organized for the UNFCCC Young and Future Generations Day. Photo by Kaia Rose / Connect4Climate.
VIDEO
Reserva Founder Callie Broaddus Speaks at COP25 Global Youth Video Competition Awards Ceremony | UNFCCC, Madrid
The link may have sound issues if viewed on Safari, but works well on Chrome. Broaddus speaks at the 49:00 mark, but the three other GYVC winners speak earlier on their excellent projects! Watch here.
Reserva Features in Young and Future Generations Day at COP 25 | UNFCCC, Madrid
Reserva founder will travel to Madrid to attend the UN’s COP 25 Climate Change Conference in Madrid from December 1 – 12, 2019. Read the UN press release here.
Reserva Partners with Life Less Ordinary for Charity Bracelet
The company approached Youth Director Bella Lack after hearing about Reserva during Bella’s TEDx talk to see how they could help. Immediately, Bella asked if they’d be willing to create a custom line to save rainforest with Reserva. The bracelets, made from ethically sourced Ecuadorian tagua nut, are handmade in the UK.
Reserva Video Airs at UNCCD COP14 in India
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification sponsored the “Balancing use of land for people and ecosystems” category of the 5th tvebiomovies Global Youth Video Competition. Reserva founder Callie Broaddus created a video about the inspiration and proof of concept behind Reserva, which competed against 89 videos from 68 countries to win the prize of a trip to the COP25 Climate Conference in Madrid. Reserva’s winning video aired in front of the UNCCD assembly at the COP14, held in India, on September 11.
PRESS RELEASE:
Reserva Founder Crowned Winner of Tvebiomovies’ Global Youth Video Competition
The Washington, D.C.-based conservationist will travel to Chile for the UN’s Climate Conference COP25 as a Youth Climate Reporter, and film will be showcased at upcoming UN Climate Summit in NY.
A white-tipped quetzal in Santa Marta, Colombia, as seen in the winning video. Photo by Callie Broaddus.
Wildlife TV icon Steve Backshall stood in a torrential downpour in Ecuador to encourage followers to follow ReservaYLT on social media!
See Steve Backshall’s Rain-soaked Endorsement
“If @SteveBackshall is willing to stand in this torrential downpour to promote @ReservaYlt, you know we’re worth a follow,” tweets Bella Lack, Reserva Youth Director.
Reserva’s Youth Director, Bella Lack, featured in Telegraph UK
The article was splashed on page 3 of the UK’s famous newspaper with an attention-grabbing headline announcing Carrie Symonds’ support for several youth leaders, but focused in detail on Reserva. Such early and prominent coverage is an encouraging start, only three weeks after Reserva’s soft launch on social media!
Important corrections: Cited as “British schoolchildren,” Reserva is in fact led by a group of over 40 young advocates from 11 countries, and counting. | The $3 Million number sited in the article is actually the amount we intend to raise to match youth submissions in our 1 Million Letters campaign, funds which will extend well beyond supporting our first reserve project, and help us act quickly to build a network of youth-funded reserves.
Reserva Founder Named Finalist in Global Youth Video Competition
The video was chosen as one of 20 finalists in the “Balancing use of land for people and ecosystems” category in the tvebiomovies competition, one of three competition categories focused on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. One winner from each category will have the chance to attend the UN COP25 climate conference as a Youth Climate Reporter, and the films will be showcased at the UN Climate Action Summit in NY. Winners are chosen by public vote. Out of 400 videos entered from over 100 countries, Reserva was the only finalist chosen from the U.S. Watch the video at the link below; 1 view = 1 vote!
UPDATE: We WON! See 9-12 press release above.