Be careful with websites

The appearance of caring about conservation can be difficult to maintain. One method is to create a series of websites. This approach has the benefit of looking good to potential donors and investors who believe what they see. Below are a few links:

Wall Street Rescues - One might ask for evidence of current work in many of these places and perhaps also for some evidence of involvement in these claims regarding protected areas....

Charles A. Munn (B.A. summa cum laude Princeton 1977, M.Sc.Oxford 1979, Ph.D. Princeton 1984) worked as a conservation zoologist for WCS from 1984-2000, researching macaws, Giant Otters, and other wildlife in the Amazon of Peru and Bolivia. Simultaneously, he led teams that created 12 million acres (five million hectares, or a Costa Rica's worth) of protected areas in Manu, Tambopata, and Vilcabamba in Peru and Madidi in Bolivia. In 2000, Munn founded and is now chairman of the board of Tropical Nature www.tropicalnature.org, a U.S.-based nonprofit that conserves tropical rain forest through the planning and implementation of model ecotourism projects. Currently Tropical Nature works in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Gabon.

Nature Ventures - Built on the same website framework as Wall Street Rescues above, seems as though it is an example to fabricate a network of companies. Richard Devane, holds the title of "Managing Director"

Richard Devane is Managing Director of Nature Venture www.natureventure.com an investment and business consulting firm with experience in tourism development projects in Africa, Central America and South America. He was formerly a partner with Bain & Co. and Marakon Associates, management consultants. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Business School.

Tropical Nature Internships - An apparent attempt to capitalize on the name of the non-profit Topical Nature. Communities have protested the implication that they are involved in this company, but apparently the management does not care. It is particularly galling that this site continues to steal copyrighted photos and imply that they have some positive relationship with the Napo Wildlife Center.

Pantanal Wildlife Center - The Munn-owned lodge in Brazil that uses the naming convention made famous by conservation-based lodges. No conservation done here, but it is sold and promoted through the non-profit owned travel agency that Munn and Devane control through their board positions.

If you have additional websites to add, let us know and we will add them to the list so that we can all stay informed!