New State of the Apes Report on Industrial Agriculture Reveals More Partnership Opportunities for Industry, Government and Conservation Groups

Media Contact
Bryan Simmons
Vice President, Communications
bsimmons@arcusfoundation.org
617-852-4219

New York, N.Y. (December 17, 2015) – The Arcus Foundation, a global foundation promoting respect for diversity among peoples and in nature, today announced the release of State of the Apes: Industrial Agriculture and Ape Conservation, the second in a series of global reports examining the threats and solutions associated with industrial agriculture through the lens of ape conservation. The report’s launch was initially announced at the Global Landscapes Forum in Paris earlier this month.

The first installment in the series, State of the Apes: Extractive Industries and Ape Conservation, was published last year in partnership with Cambridge University Press. That report included a case study examining threats of oil extraction in Africa’s Virunga National Park, featured in the Oscar-nominated documentary Virunga that premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival.

As threats to conservation are increasingly driven by economic development, the State of the Apes series presents an objective and rigorous analysis of critical ape conservation issues and highlights opportunities for reconciliation and constructive engagement with industry through partnerships, solutions and compromises that support the goals and societal value of both industry and biodiversity conservation.

Through research and analysis, highlighted by case studies and best practices, the reports present a comprehensive and holistic overview of how industries such as industrial agriculture inter-relate and play a role in the current and future status and welfare of all apes and people living in or near ape habitats.

“This latest edition of State of the Apes aims to stimulate informed debate among decision makers about the urgent need for new approaches to addressing escalating tensions between economic development and conservation efforts,” said Annette Lanjouw, Arcus’ Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and the Great Apes Program.

“The few landscapes in which today’s apes live — along with many other critical species — all have great economic value to humans. Our intent with this series of reports is to provide a body of data and research to support industry leaders, policymakers, and conservationists in charting a new course that preserves the biodiversity upon which the well-being of all the world’s human and non-human animals depends.”

State of the Apes: Industrial Agriculture draws upon commissioned contributions from experts in industry, civil society and academia. This new edition presents original research and analysis, topical case studies and emerging best practices from a range of key stakeholders to examine the relationship between ape conservation and industrial agriculture, shedding light on the drivers behind agricultural expansion, land investment, governance challenges and land use.

Both volumes to date are edited by Helga Rainer, Alison White and Annette Lanjouw and published by Cambridge University Press with support from Arcus.

The new report is available from Amazon.co.uk and from Cambridge University Press, the volume’s publisher. Chapters and copies of the full report are also available online at www.stateoftheapes.com which offers opportunities for in-depth exploration of issues and findings from the publication.

About the Arcus Foundation
Founded in 2000 by Jon Stryker, the Arcus Foundation is dedicated to the idea that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. Arcus’ work is based on the belief that respect for diversity among peoples and in nature is essential to a positive future for our planet and all of its inhabitants. The Foundation works globally and has offices in New York City and Cambridge, UK. To learn more, visit: www.arcusfoundation.org.