The first Intergovernmental Meeting on Great Apes and the Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP) and the first GRASP Council Meeting was convened from 5-9 September 2005 in Kinshasa , Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Over 200 international delegates attended the Meeting, as well as approximately 300 delegates from the DRC. 19 of the 23 great ape range States were represented. 29 NGO GRASP Partners attended, as well as three GRASP Patrons, two supporting Partners, and seven non-range State countries.

The most significant output of the IGM was the adoption of the Kinshasa Declaration, a high-level political statement on the future of great apes. By signing this declaration, the 76 representatives - including 16 range States, 6 donor countries, 25 non-governmental organizations (NGO) Partners, 2 Multilateral Environmental Agreements secretariats and 2 intergovernmental organizations - pledge to do everything in their power to ensure the long-term future for all great ape species

Click here for more information on the IGM.

© Orangutan Foundation (UK) Training workshop of local communities in Belantikan region central Kalimantan

The sites selected for the field projects are Côte d'Ivoire , Cameroon , Democratic Republic of the Congo and Indonesia .

1) The project in Côte d'Ivoire aims to help the development of national capacity for wildlife monitoring along with the integration of socio-economic issues into forest conservation and decision-making. This is done through the establishment of a bio-monitoring unit in the wildlife department, which will collect ecological and socio-economic data for use in planning national government policy. Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique in liaison with the Wild Chimpanzee Foundation is implementing the project.

2) The Cameroon intervention aims to work in the areas surrounding the Dja Biosphere Reserve to promote community engagement and support for sustainable use of forest resources. This will be achieved by conducting ‘Knowledge, Attitude and Practices' surveys among local people to identify positive, community owned attitudes to sustainable use. These will be disseminated through local media and existing community networks, and will provide the national wildlife department with a positive model of local community engagement. The Bristol Zoological Gardens is implementing it.

3) The work in Democratic Republic of the Congo aims to contribute to the development of local communities through gorilla conservation. This includes providing patrols for monitoring of gorillas accompanied by a local awareness through education campaigns. The project will also establish a livestock distribution scheme to provide locals with alternative opportunities for sustenance other than forest exploitation, and support local facilities such as schools and road networks. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund - Europe is implementing it.

Illegal logs float downstream Indonesia

4) In Indonesia the activities aim to empower the local community to combat the threat of illegal logging in and associated to Tanjung Putting National Park . This involves expanding the network of guard posts and patrols, establishing community liaison teams to advocate for local communities, and working with local communities to identify and implement projects for community development through sustainable forest management. The Orangutan Foundation is implementing the project.

Through these wide-ranging activities, GRASP provides effective models for great ape conservation through pro-poor strategies, promotes government commitment to these goals, and raises awareness of relevant issues and potential solutions in the international arena.

For more information on any of these projects, please contact the GRASP secretariat.

First year project report.