Safeguarding our future by restoring our connection to nature
Environment Programme/Partner story
Training the next generation of conservation leaders
The Effective Conservation Cooperative aims to increase the number of team leaders working in conservation who have the skills to manage the social, political and historical complexities associated with contemporary conservation practices.
From crisis to opportunity: the case for funding clean air
We believe that investing in air quality saves lives, supports sustainable economic growth, and facilitates the critical transition away from fossil fuels toward greener, less polluting energy sources.
On 30 September 2024, the last coal-fired power plant in the UK shut its doors for the last time. In the nation that was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, it’s time for a new clean energy revolution.
Gorongosa: A beacon of hope in one of Africa’s last great wild places
The Gorongosa Restoration Project has revitalised Mozambique’s national park, creating a thriving landscape where both communities and wildlife flourish.
Living Landscapes: rethinking biodiversity in Southern Africa
Den Staat Farm is home for many communities who depend solely on the natural resources of the landscape to survive. Their vision of conservation recognises people as stewards of the land.
Our strategy places people at the heart of our grant-making to safeguard our future and restore our connection to nature. The Environment Programme has three sub-programmes: Marine foods systems and livelihoods, Nature and people, and Regenerative landscapes. We take a systems change approach by aiming to address the sources of the challenges we face as a society to improve the health and strength of communities and our natural environment. This approach allows us to see inter-connections and envision solutions across sectors to achieve multiple social and biodiversity benefits. For more information, read the document about our people-centred approach.
What we fund
Creating a thriving and sustainable future for our oceans and the communities that depend on them
We support efforts that protect the food security of coastal and Indigenous communities while ensuring the health of marine ecosystems. This includes enhancing the governance of small-scale fisheries, building resilience to climate change, empowering communities, conserving fish stocks and habitats, and increasing transparency and labour rights in fisheries. We support efforts in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, especially if there is a regional or global impact.
Promoting the coexistence and wellbeing of people and the rich biodiversity where they live
We support efforts that promote a “living landscapes” approach that safeguards biodiversity while considering the livelihoods and wellbeing of people and communities. We also support efforts that protect wildlife from illegal trade and ensure its safe and sustainable future. We support initiatives in Southern Africa, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
Envisioning a world in which degraded landscapes and ecosystems are restored for the benefit of both people and wildlife
We support efforts that focus on: regenerative agriculture (i.e., promoting a farming system that’s good for people and good for nature); and rewilding (i.e., restoring land and biodiverse spaces that have been modified by human activities). We focus on buffer zones outside protected land and areas that include communal lands in Southern Africa.
Read our partner stories
Environment Programme/Partner story
Working with communities and the land in Zimbabwe
Oak grantees in Southern Africa are using regenerative agriculture for the benefit of both people and wildlife….
Training the next generation of conservation leaders
The Effective Conservation Cooperative aims to increase the number of team leaders working in conservation who have the skills to manage the social, political and historical complexities associated wi…
From crisis to opportunity: the case for funding clean air
We believe that investing in air quality saves lives, supports sustainable economic growth, and facilitates the critical transition away from fossil fuels toward greener, less polluting energy sources…
On 30 September 2024, the last coal-fired power plant in the UK shut its doors for the last time. In the nation that was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, it’s time for a new clean energy…
Gorongosa: A beacon of hope in one of Africa’s last great wild places
The Gorongosa Restoration Project has revitalised Mozambique’s national park, creating a thriving landscape where both communities and wildlife flourish….
Empowering communities can help create climate resilience. That is why the work of the Climate Justice Resilience Fund (CJRF) – an organisation devoted to building voice and power in communities hit first by climate change – helps empower women in India and Inuit in the artic maritime region through knowledge and skills.
Oceana is an international not-for-profit organisation dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s oceans on a global scale. Operational for 17 years, Oceana has been supported by Oak since the start. Led by CEO Andrew Sharpless, it has an innovative way of working that has proved both efficient and effective, garnering plenty of success over the years.
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