Our planet is one of the most fascinating in the universe, one that harbors life and experiences beyond explanation. Environmental conservation, especially due to looming climate change, is thus a need of the hour.
Over the decades, numerous notable environmental conservation efforts have been put in place that have protected nature, enabling us to prevent a lot of imminent damage that would have happened otherwise.
Below are the 19 notable efforts that significantly impacted nature, wildlife, ecosystems, and climate resilience.
1. Chipko Movement – India (1973)
The Chipko Movement is undoubtedly one of the most revolutionary when discussing environmental conservation efforts. It took place in Uttarakhand, India, where villagers, mainly women, hugged trees to prevent them from being cut down. This grassroots movement, led by activist Sunderlal Bahuguna, became a global symbol of nonviolent environmental activism.
2. Yellowstone National Park – USA (1872)
If you go back in history, Yellowstone National Park became the world’s first national park in 1872, setting a historic precedent for environmental preservation. The national park is spread across 3,500 square miles, protecting geothermal features, ancient forests, and diverse wildlife.
3. Great Green Wall – Africa (2007–Ongoing)
The African Union launched the Great Green Wall project to combat desertification in the Sahel region. The project, which spans 8,000 km from Senegal to Djibouti, aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land. Around 18 million trees have been planted, improving food security and creating over 300,000 rural jobs.
4. Whaling Ban – International Whaling Commission (1986)
Launched by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986, the act imposed a global moratorium on commercial whaling, banning every kind of unsustainable hunting, which had been continuing for centuries.
5. Biosphere Reserves – UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (1971)
UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme launched a network of protected areas known as Biosphere Reserves to harmonize conservation and sustainable development. There are around 700 biosphere reserves across 134 countries by 2024. Their focus is to protect different kinds of ecosystems like rainforests, coral reefs, and wetlands.
6. Green Belt Movement – Kenya (1977)
The movement was founded by Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, encouraging Kenyan women to plant over 50 million trees across degraded lands. The reforestation effort helped restore biodiversity, improve water catchments, and empower women socially and economically. It truly transformed the aspect of environmental justice like never before.
7. Amazon Region Protected Areas Program – Brazil (2002)
This is the world’s largest initiative for conserving tropical forest, protecting over 60 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest by establishing new conservation units and supporting existing ones. The Brazilian government launched it in partnership with WWF and the World Bank.
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8. The Montreal Protocol – Global (1987)
The Montreal Protocol was a landmark international treaty to phase out ozone-depleting substances like CFCs. It was backed by 198 countries, which eventually helped heal the ozone layer and reduced the cases and risks of skin cancer and other climate impacts.
9. Costa Rica’s Reforestation Policy (1980s–Present)
More particularly known as the Payments for Environmental Services (PES) program, the program was launched in the 1980s to reverse the deforestation crisis in Costa Rica. Over 50% of the country is forested today, up from just 21% in the 1980s. Through PES, farmers are compensated for preserving or restoring forests as well.
10. Coral Triangle Initiative – Southeast Asia (2009)
Six countries united under the Coral Triangle Initiative, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. The objective was to protect one of the most biodiverse marine areas on Earth. The program was launched in 2009 and promotes sustainable fisheries, marine protected areas, and community resilience. The initiative also significantly conserves the coral reefs that support over 120 million people and the surrounding marine species.
11. Project Tiger – India (1973)
One of India’s most pivotal environmental conservation efforts was achieved through Project Tiger, which was launched in 1973. The main goal of this initiative was to protect the dwindling population of the Bengal tigers in India. What started with nine reserves initially has expanded to 53 reserves across India. The program was launched in collaboration with the Indian government and wildlife experts, and the population of tigers rose from 1,411 in 2006 to over 3,000 in 2023. The project also benefited a lot of the country’s surrounding ecosystems.
12. Ban on DDT – USA (1972)
If you are aware of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, which was released in 1962, you likely are aware of the outcry and rage that followed. The public wanted the immediate banning of DDT in the U.S, which was finally sanctioned in 1972. The use of DDT saw a massive decline in the bird population in the country, especially bald eagles and peregrine falcons, citing why the ban was such a pivotal moment in environmental awareness and regulation.
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13. Galápagos Marine Reserve – Ecuador (1998)
The significance of the Galápagos Marine Reserve is extensive. It was declared a reserve in 1998 and protects nearly 133,000 square kilometers of ocean surrounding the Galápagos Islands. The main objective behind this reserve was to safeguard unique species like marine iguanas and Galápagos penguins from overfishing and pollution. The Ecuadorian Navy and NGOs enforced the movement.
14. The Eden Project – United Kingdom (2001)
Located in Cornwall, the Eden Project transformed a former clay pit into one of the world’s most extensive indoor botanical gardens. The project was launched in 2001 and features massive biomes replicating rainforest and Mediterranean environments. The main objective of this project was to promote sustainability, biodiversity, and climate awareness. The educational value in this project is quite extensive, too.
15. Plastic Bag Ban – Rwanda (2008)
One of the most revolutionary environmental conservation efforts happened in Rwanda when the country banned the use of plastic bags in 2008. It became one of the strictest anti-plastic laws in the world. It also led to the country’s clean streets, parks, and rivers, which are now globally recognized. Rwanda’s initiative has inspired other countries to adopt similar bans, proving that determined governance can lead to drastic environmental improvements.
16. Saving the Bald Eagle – USA (1960s–2007)
Once on the brink of extinction due to habitat loss and DDT poisoning, the bald eagle made a miraculous recovery. Protection under the Endangered Species Act, habitat restoration, and the DDT ban contributed to its resurgence. In 2007, the bald eagle was officially removed from the endangered species list, citing the importance of quick action.
17. Ocean Cleanup Project – Netherlands (2013–Ongoing)
The Ocean Cleanup project is a Dutch non-profit organization founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat. The organization’s main objective is to eliminate up to 90% of the floating ocean plastic by 2040. The project uses passive collection systems and targets massive garbage patches like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Since its launch in 2019, the project has also removed thousands of kilograms of plastic, expanding its mission to Asia.
18. Rewilding Europe Initiative (2011–Ongoing)
Another one of the most unique environmental conservation efforts that deserves to be discussed is the Rewilding Europe Initiative, which was launched in 2011. It was launched to restore natural processes and wildlife populations across 10 million hectares by 2030. The project involved reintroducing the European bison and lynx species and restoring rivers, wetlands, and forests.
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19. China’s Grain for Green Program (1999–Ongoing)
One of the largest-scale ecological programs, the Grain for Green program converts farmland on steep slopes back to forests. The initiative was launched in 1999, and since then, it has restored over 30 million hectares, making it the world’s largest reforestation project. Even the involved farmers were compensated with grain or cash for planting trees.
Final Words
These 19 initiatives are just the beginning of reforms that will further conserve nature and the environment around us. These initiatives have greatly benefited the Earth’s fragile ecosystems and wildlife, highlighting the importance of introducing more such reforms in the future.
