Do companies know where the timber they buy and sell comes from, how it has been harvested, and how the forests have been managed? The lack of information is part of the problem, but you helped change this!

We asked you to appeal to the "wood giants," Bauhaus AG, to show that you care and that you want their assurance that the wood you buy is OK - because wood is good, but only if it comes from responsible sources.

In Russia it's up to 50%, and it's a big threat to nature and communities in the European Union (EU) and accession and candidate countries. Illegal logging is a problem in more than 70 countries, destroying nature, damaging communities, and distorting trade. The destruction of precious forests is devastating to wildlife - critical habitats for orang-utans, jaguars, forest elephants and Siberian tigers are being destroyed by rampant illegal logging. Through the loss of tax revenues, illegal logging also has huge economic and social impacts for timber exporting and importing countries.

Big companies choose who they do business with, and should choose only those suppliers that sell them timber products from responsible sources.

Bauhaus AG is one of Europe's leading 'Do it Yourself' retail stores with a big market influence in Eastern Europe.

You appealed to Bauhaus AG to; - only buy wood products from proven well managed and legal sources; - to influence their suppliers - and to show credible proactive steps to help eliminate bad practices in the regions they purchase timber from.

As a result of your action, WWF was asked to meet with Bauhaus AG.

Following constructive discussions between WWF and Bauhaus AG's CEO, Stefan Wolsiffer and Procurement Officer Hansjakob Oberhauser, the company agreed to:

1. work systematically on excluding illegal wood and wood from primeval forests from their products

2. closely monitor all their products to ensure their origin is known and legality is assured

3. explore further cooperation with WWF, and consider joining WWF's forest and trade network.

This is a major success, which would not have been possible without your help. WWF had for several years been seeking a dialogue with Bauhaus AG, to encourage them to promote good forestry practices and help combat illegal logging. We now have real progress and real commitments!

Bauhaus in Sweden and Austria are also in discussions with WWF.

The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with largely deforested Haiti, is in contrast a country with some of the largest remaining wilderness areas in the region.

The controversial new law would have removed protection from all the coastal areas of Parque del Este, which was nominated for inclusion as a World Heritage Site, and Jaragua National Parks, a United Nations designated Biosphere Reserve which contains the most extensive and pristine coral reefs of the DR.

Endangered ecosystems would have disappeared, including coastal wetlands, important bird areas, as well as globally significant sites for the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus.)

In addition to thousands of Passport activists, 97 leading scientists from around the world, and leading international environmental organizations voiced opposition to the law, which placed at risk some of the premiere marine and terrestrial ecosystems in the Caribbean, including Jaragua, El Este and Lago Enriquillo national parks.

Thanks to the local and international efforts, the President of the Dominican Republic "observed" the law, sending it back to Congress with a number of changes that removed many of the most serious threats to the national park system.

The new law, passed by the Congress is a great improvement over the original proposal, and spares the majority of the protected areas in the Dominican Republic.

Nonetheless, the law still includes a number of problematic provisions, and we will continue to support the groups in the Dominican Republic in their efforts to overturn these provisions.

The Russian government has approved the Kyoto Protocol - clearing the way for the treaty to become international law in early 2005.

Russia held the key to the Protocol — the world's only international agreement to reduce CO2 emissions, the main greenhouse gas — after the US pulled out of the agreement in 2001. To date, 127 countries have ratified the treaty which sets binding limits on emissions for industrialized countries.

"After two and a half years, Russia has finally seen the light and helped bring the Kyoto Protocol into reality," said Alexey Kokorin, head of WWF Russia's Climate Change programme.

"This is a clear indication that the Kyoto Protocol makes good sense for Russia on all levels — for business, for the environment, and for the people."

The entry into force of the Protocol means that CO2 will now have a monetary value. Countries and companies in the Kyoto system will have to factor in this new cost when balancing their books, making a strong economic case for cleaner and more efficient forms of energy.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, countries that exceed their targets will face binding consequences, thus creating the incentive to comply.

"Entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol is the biggest step forward in international environmental politics and law that the world has ever seen,” said Jennifer Morgan, Director of the WWF Climate Change programme.

Having declared the death of the Kyoto Protocol early on in its Administration and often thereafter, the US government is now witnessing a true rebirth, and will be left standing on the sidelines as the rest of the world gets on with it.

"The enemies of Kyoto must be drowning their sorrows today,” said Jennifer Morgan, Director of the WWF Climate Change programme. “Russian ratification and entry into force demonstrates the political will, globally, to tackling this urgent and enormous problem. The challenge now is to ensure it is implemented and enforced.”

The Kyoto commitments must be implemented by 2012. Negotiations to determine further emissions cuts for the period thereafter are required, under the Kyoto Protocol, to start no later than 2005.

In order to stay below the dangerous temperature rise of 2 degrees, future negotiations will have to ensure much deeper and faster cuts than are included in the first round of the Kyoto Protocol.

Many thanks to all of you who have supported our climate campaigns over the years.

Under the plan, strict protection of the reef system will rise from 4.6 per cent to 33 per cent of the existing Marine Park and World Heritage Area, covering more than 11 million hectares — equivalent to about half the size of the UK.

While tourism will continue in the new, scientifically-based network of marine protected areas, all commercial and recreational fishing is banned from now on.

WWF believes that the increased and stricter protection of the Great Barrier Reef should encourage other countries to take similar measures in key marine regions such as the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea in South-East Asia and the Meso-American reef in Central America.

"With its actions towards conserving one of the world's greatest natural treasures, Australia shows once again that it is a world leader in marine protection," said Dr Simon Cripps, Director of WWF's global Marine Programme. "The Great Barrier Reef's network of protected areas is a global benchmark which now sets a precedent for future marine conservation."

The new network of highly protected areas will reduce pressure on the Great Barrier Reef and enhance its capacity to overcome large-scale threats — such as coral bleaching — linked to climate change and global warming.

While we are struggling to contain the long-term threat of global warming, the stricter protection of the Great Barrier Reef will help depleted fish stocks to recover in important spawning sites and nurseries. It will also safeguard key habitat for threatened species such as turtles and dugongs.

The Great Barrier Reef isn't just one of the world’s most precious natural treasures, it is also one of Australia's most valuable tourism assets, generating more than A$4.2 billion (2.7 billion Euros) annually.

According to WWF, the process that resulted in the new level of protection of the Great Barrier reef has generated unprecedented community interest and support.

Thank you to everyone that sent a submission to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority calling for increased protection of the Great Barrier Reef. Close to 5,000 email submissions supporting WWF's call were sent by Passport holders in one week!

The move follows the resignation of Jaksa Marasovic, Head of the Croatian Water Management Authority (Croatian Waters).

Close to 6,000 emails were sent by Passport holders to the Croatian Prime Minister, Dr Ivo Sanader, urging him to stop the destruction of the Drava.

The rivers offer many benefits - from flood protection and water purification to socio-economic opportunities such as fisheries and ecotourism. Hungary has already protected the Drava as part of the Danube-Drava National Park, but in Croatia the Drava enjoys very little protection.

The European Commission considers the entire river corridor to be a potential Natura 2000 site and UNESCO has invited Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary and Serbia-Montenegro to designate the Drava, Mura and Danube corridor as a transboundary biosphere reserve. This would be the largest river and floodplain nature reserve in Europe!

Day by day Croatia's river canalization and gravel excavation activities were destroying one of the last remaining natural stretches of the Drava river in the Croatian-Slovenian border area.

The untouched stretch of the Drava in the border area to Slovenia — characterized by pristine floodplain forests, river islands, gravel banks, and side branches - was being replaced with a channel by the Croatian Water Authorities.

In addition, over seven million cubic metres of gravel were being excavated from the Drava's river-bed and banks for use as building materials for a new highway in Croatia. These activities had already resulted in the destruction of natural habitats important for ecotourism and recreation, a decrease in fish populations, and the drying out of wetland and forest areas.

Pressure from Passport holders was critical in stopping the disastrous river works on the Drava River.

The situation called for dramatic and determined action, and that’s what it got. For three years, hundreds of thousands of people gathered at massive demonstrations throughout the country. Fifteen thousand Spaniards travelled to Brussels to demonstrate against their country receiving EU funds for the project. Public meetings, leaflets, concerts, fiestas, giant flamingo puppets, even a paella competition - all these and more helped spur action against the national government’s cavalier water grab.

WWF’s Panda Passport also weighed in to support this campaign to stop the destruction of the Ebro Delta. Close to 10,000 emails were sent in late 2003 urging the European Commission to not give the go ahead to the Ebro Water Transfer Scheme.

That decision arrived in April 2004! In April this year, Spain’s newly elected Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced that “the Ebro Transfer will be repealed and that a review of the SNHP may stop some specific infrastructures, replacing them with more efficient, cheaper, and less disputed projects.”

SNHP is the controversial Spanish National Hydrological Plan, approved by the previous government in 2001. The Ebro Transfer was a key part of the plan, which aimed to redistribute Spain’s water through massive engineering projects.

Zapatero’s announcement has given campaigners some breathing space, but more importantly, it offers an opportunity to change the direction of water management in Europe.

Following the April announcement, the Spanish government announced an alternative plan on 18 June to replace the Ebro Transfer project. The activists are not relaxing yet.  Read more

Many thanks for your support, and if your help is needed again we’ll let you know.

Instead, the government announced that it will address the fishermen's concerns through the existing input process established by the Galapagos Special law. Passport holders and WWF-US activists sent close to 45,000 messages pushing for just such a solution: one that respected the original Galapagos Special Law as the only way to help fishermen and all the people of the Galapagos live in harmony with nature.

Thank you! You have helped protect a relatively unspoiled ecological and evolutionary treasure trove!

Read on for an update on activist involvement and key events in the history of the conservation of the Galapagos. As you will see, despite some important victories, there have been some setbacks and continuing challenges.

Sadly, the islands face many threats including over-harvesting of marine resources, introduction of exotic species, and increased immigration.

The law's enactment was a landmark in the effort to conserve and protect these singular islands and their unique plants and animals. Among other things, it created the Galapagos Marine Reserve, the second largest marine reserve in the world.

The Galapagos Marine Reserve covers 133,000 square kilometres. Numerous species of reptiles, birds, and mammals that inhabit the terrestrial areas of the Archipelago depend directly on the sea for their survival. Fifty-seven species of birds live in the Galapagos, and more than 30 of them depend on the ocean to obtain food. In addition, the Islands’ are a sanctuary for threatened whales and turtles.

In early 2001, a grounded ship spilled more than 750,000 litres of diesel and bunker fuel, threatening the islands. In response, WWF donated $US100,000 to help fund clean-up efforts and created a special Galapagos Emergency Response Centre to monitor the clean-up and help mobilize the financial and technical resources necessary to mitigate the long-term damage.

Fortunately, in 2001 a legal challenge to the fishing restrictions contained in the special law was defeated. However, the industrial fishing community is continuing to push for at least part of the reserve to be open to them.

Threats to long-term conservation of the Galapagos have also come from the artisanal fishermen. In late 2000 and early 2001, WWF-US activists sent more than 7,000 messages urging the President of Ecuador to uphold fisheries management provisions and not give in to the demands of fishermen who were using violence to protest limits on their lobster catches. The fishing community had exceeded their 50-metric-tonne seasonal limit of lobster in just two months and wanted to continue fishing without restrictions. With almost twice as many fishermen registered as the previous year, this would have seriously depleted the lobster populations and reduced future harvests. They were also demanding a lifting of the current ban on shark fishing and the opening of non-traditional fisheries such as sea urchins, octopuses, and squids.

Unfortunately, the government increased the lobster quota to 80 metric tonnes and allowed the fishermen to fish until the end of the season. Because some fishermen did not allow the government to monitor their catch, it is likely that they caught more than 80 metric tonnes. In addition, the government opened a four-month lobster season in September 2001 with no catch limits. The fishermen were allowed to fish without limits this time in exchange for their agreeing to monitor fishing and to accept a closure of the marine reserve to new fishermen.

Regulations that would impose a number of needed restrictions on artisanal fishing have been drafted and are close to being finalized, but the artisanal fishermen are pushing to weaken the regulations.

The new agreement contained a long list of half promises to weaken the carefully balanced regulations controlling fishing, tourism, and other activities in the Galapagos National Park and the Marine Reserve. Those rules were developed to benefit both the environment and local people. They also establish a process for addressing many of the valid concerns of the fishermen.

WWF activists sent close to 45,000 messages in early 2004 urging the Ecuadorian government to rethink the agreement reached with the protesting fishermen. Subsequently, the minister of environment who signed the agreement resigned and a new minister, who is an expert in crisis negotiations, was appointed. After a series of meetings with representatives of various interests, the new minister announced that the government did not support the agreement signed by the previous minister and that the needs of the fishermen would be addressed within the context of the participatory management process established by the Galapagos Special Law.

WWF activists had pushed for just such a solution: one that respected the original Galapagos Special Law -- under which the regulations were developed -- as the only way to help fishermen and all the people of the Galapagos live in harmony with nature.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) meeting in London on April 2nd decided to designate the Baltic Sea as a "Particularly Sensitive Sea Area."

Designating PSSAs requires ships to take special care when navigating through such areas, and enables coastal states and the IMO to agree on best protective measures. It’s a tool that WWF has long been promoting to protect the Baltic Sea from a major oil accident.

Russia had enlisted the support of Panama and Liberia in its efforts to block the proposed designation of the Baltic Sea, and two other areas - the Galapagos, and the Canary Islands - as Particularly Sensitive Seas Areas (PSSAs). Despite this, the PSSA applications for all three areas were accepted by the IMO.

“The enthusiastic response from Passport holders was instrumental in achieving our goals to protect this unique marine environment and its species, such as seals, harbour porpoises and sea birds from the disastrous effects of oil accidents." Päivi Rosqvist, Head of Communications, WWF Finland

It will also ensure additional safety measures in the Baltic, one of the planet’s smallest seas with some of the busiest maritime traffic, such as routing systems and vessel traffic services, reducing the risk of an oil accident.

WWF is now encouraging the Baltic Sea States to develop and propose effective associated protective measures to strengthen the safety of shipping on the Baltic Sea by 2005. Associated protective measures, such as compulsory pilotage, are of particular importance for high-risk areas such as the Danish Straight and the Gulf of Finland and within the international shipping straights of the Baltic Sea.

WWF-Philippines, which was involved in opposition to the power plant, welcomed the rejection, saying it is a landmark decision that is both pro-environment and pro-people.

This is local governance at its best and will set standards that will be replicated by local leaders who still believe in public service, " says WWF-Philippines president, Lory Tan.

WWF is now calling on the national government to respect the Provincial Board’s decision to reject KEPCO’s (Korean Electric Power Co) coal plant. This same plant was already proposed in three other districts on Panay Island, but was rejected by residents.

Many thanks, you have really helped make a difference. We may need to call on your help again, so we'll keep you posted.

The ministry announced that if necessary, transboundary conventions and international law will be used to prevent the project from going ahead.

The planned Novo Virje dam would be the largest hydropower plant on the Drava, whose lower stretches are some of the last remaining free-flowing river sections in Europe. The section of the Drava that would be affected by the dam is one of the most natural lowland river ecosystems in Central Europe, with high biodiversity and unique habitats that qualify for protection under EU law, both in Croatia and across the border in Hungary.

The Croatian government announced their intention to go ahead with the dam in February 2001. Croatian NGOs responded by uniting into the Drava League coalition and taking national and international action stop the construction.

The long-awaited statement on Hungary’s position follows a public hearing on the issue in the town of Barcs, Hungary, on 17 October 2003 (a requirement of the Espoo Convention, the UN process for dealing with transboundary environmental impacts). Since the hearing, WWF-Hungary and environmental NGOs in Hungary and Croatia have been lobbying the Hungarian government to take all possible steps to prevent the construction.

More than 7000 people added their name online in opposition to the proposed Novo Virje dam! Three-thousand-five-hundred people from around the world joined our Panda Passport action, while another 3500 e-mail signatures were collected with the Drava Petition, which was managed by Hungarian NGO’s: Drava Association, WWF-Hungary, Nimfea – Nature Conservation Association, and Protect the Future Generation Society.

Local and regional NGOs collected about 15,000 hard copy signatures; 10.000 from people on the Croatian side and 5000 from opponents of the dam on the Hungarian side.

While Hungary's statement of opposition still needs a governmental decree to make it binding, this is the first real success for conservationists since this old communist plan was revived three years ago.