Because with SELVA it's simple.
At SELVA International we're scientists working to preserve our environment and natural resources. We promote a new conservation ethic based on good science and sound economics. Most conservation organizations plan and manage their own projects, which is expensive. Instead, we direct conservation monies to where they are most needed- on the ground- to support projects that are low-cost and sustainable, because they are run by local people.
Unlike most other conservation organizations:
• SELVA was founded and is run by experts. Our board of directors consists of 100% Ph.D. ecologists. This is different from most conservation nonprofits, where well-meaning but unqualified boards define conservation priorities and programs.
• SELVA prioritizes science. As scientists, our primary goal is to work on-the-ground with resource managers, to ensure that their conservation efforts are based in rigorous science.
• SELVA doesn't manage projects. We don't manage our own projects because it's expensive, and it makes conservation dependent on outside support. Instead, we help local groups implement their own low-cost initiatives.
• SELVA invests in local people. We avoid hiring expensive outside consultants who lack regional expertise. Instead, we invest in local experts who have long-term stakes in projects near their homes.• SELVA supports local initiatives. We know that projects planned by outsiders often fail because they're not locally relevant. Through capacity building, we support local, relevant projects that would not otherwise be implemented for lack of funding or expertise.
• SELVA plans long-term. We reject the current model for conservation financing, which is based on large budget grants that support short-term projects (often 1-3 years) doomed to failure when funding ends. We collaborate on local projects until they are self-sustainable.• SELVA invests wisely. We don't spend conservation monies on excessive technologies, reports, analyses, etc. that are unnecesary and do little to promote actual conservation. Every item we support results in quantifiable conservation.
• Donations to SELVA are raised and spent honestly. We don't use fundraising gimmicks that promise to do what we won't (e.g., buy an acre of land, lower your carbon footprint, adopt an animal, etc.). Contributors can direct their donations to general organizational support, or to specific projects they choose.
• SELVA promotes collaboration. Because scientific knowledge is not easily accessible to non-scientists, we promote free networking and information sharing in conservation among academics, government institutions, nonprofits, and communities.
• SELVA promotes sustainable conservation. By supporting projects that are local, low-cost, based in science, and long-term, we promote conservation that is effective and sustainable.
About Us
Read about our purpose, mission statement, and areas of focus.Who We Are
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of Chapter 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
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