Think millennials are apathetic about conservation? Think again

12 Apr 2019

If you think millennials are too busy looking at their phones to care about conservation, you haven’t met these young people. Every year, we grant funding and support to young people whose new, fresh ideas are changing the way we protect the planet. Here are this year’s winners.

By Sherilyn Bos

Today’s young people are going to be dealing with some of the biggest conservation challenges the planet has experienced – but we think they’re up to the task. That’s why we give up-and-coming conservationists the support they need to kick-start their careers through BirdLife Young Conservation Leaders (YCL) and the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP).

This year’s winners will be working across the Americas to protect threatened bird species and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). These projects are possible thanks to the generous support from the British Birdwatching Fair and The Aage V. Jensen Charity Foundation.

 Saving the Saffron-cowled Blackbird in Argentina

In the pampas grasslands of Argentina, a team lead by biologist Florencia Pucheta will be developing a strategy to protect the Saffron-cowled Blackbird Xanthopsar flavus (Vulnerable). Threatened by poaching and habitat loss from agriculture and livestock grazing, the Argentinian population of this brightly-coloured bird has dwindled to only 500-600 individuals confined to two isolated sites. In order to enact a conservation strategy, it is important to understand everything about the species. That’s why Pucheta’s team will be researching the bird’s distribution, reproduction, and many more aspects of its life before designing a well-informed plan of action.

The foundation of this project was laid by three years of hard work and dedication with minimal funding or support. Now, Pucheta and the team can take it to the next level. “It took us three years to study the species and learn from scratch, without any textbook or course, how to fundraise, build this amazing team with the local communities, deal with advocacy and politics and also determine our scientific approach. We feel profoundly fortunate and proud to be able to receive the support that the Young Conservation Leaders offers to young professionals,” says Pucheta.

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