Does "forever" protected really mean forever?
"Forever" really means "forever" or as long as the foundations exist. The areas protected by Wilderness International are privately owned by the foundation. This means that all three sister foundations (Germany, Peru, Canada) are owners of the area. The organizational structure of the foundation prevents the rights to dispose of property from being held by a single person and ensures its continued existence.
What is special about a foundation?
- A foundation is the most long-term organizational concept currently known. Not even states, companies, or national parks are designed to be so long-lasting. Many foundations are very old, some over a thousand years old. This makes foundations the only entities that are oriented toward the lifespan of the ecosystems we protect.
- A foundation operates independently of political constructs and, in some cases, even states.
- For the purpose of the foundation, it receives the foundation's assets, which are always preserved.
- It is independent of individuals and cannot be inherited, because it does not belong to anyone alone. A foundation always belongs to the community of people who are committed to its purpose at the time.
- The legal form of a foundation allows it, like no other, to pursue a (charitable) purpose on a permanent basis and independently of outside interests, thereby achieving the desired effects in the long term.
- Examples of some foundations that are over a thousand years old:
- since 1161 Johanneshof Foundation Hildesheim
- since 1177 St. Johannis Convent Lübeck
- since 1184 Magdalenen Hospital Münster
Our statutes stipulate that the land parcels are to be left untouched and visited only for research and documentation purposes. This entire structure guarantees that the protected areas are secure even if there is a change in operational management.
If other organizations do not own the land they protect, they can only guarantee its permanence to a limited extent. Without ownership, external factors such as political changes, economic pressure (e.g., rising value of agricultural land), or social conflicts can jeopardize the long-term conservation of the forest. With the three sister foundations of Wilderness International owning the protected areas, long-term protection is permanently secured.