A 5-year partnership between global luxury brand Louis Vuitton and Queensland-based organisation People For Wildlife has struck two key milestones since launching last year.
The collaboration is a biodiversity restoration project within a 400,000 hectare area on the Cape York Peninsula.
After just one year, the project has led to the discovery of two previously unknown species - a new mushroom species likely to be found exclusively within the Apudthama region as well as a new species of snake.
The partnership has also collected 400,000 camera trap images, which should provide insights into the diverse wildlife populations within the Apudthama area. In total, 4300 fauna and flora species live in the reserve but 275 of them are endangered - 88 fauna and 187 flora.
Amidst those, 12 scientific experts in biodiversity, veterinary science, fire management, invasive species management, and molecular genetics have been actively involved in the project.
“The Louis Vuitton x People For Wildlife partnership is only one year old, but it has been an incredible year,” People For Wildlife founder and director Dr Daniel Natusch said.
“The landscape in which we work presents numerous challenges, yet we are making good progress. This first year has focused on structuring our goals, evaluating the starting point by creating baseline metrics and monitoring systems, determining our activities, and how we set about achieving our goals.”
This partnership contributes to the LVMH target of rehabilitating 5 million hectares of flora and fauna habitat by 2030 as well as the UN Biodiversity Conference Agreement (COP-15) to protect 30 per cent of the planet’s land by the same year.
“This partnership has the potential to serve as a positive reference point, motivating other companies to invest in community-based conservation efforts,” Louis Vuitton/PFW Scientific Advisory Board expert Boris Saraber said.
“It’s not just about conservation; it’s about community development. When communities benefit directly from conservation initiatives, they become active stewards.
“This model ensures that the next generation sees life on their land as an exciting and sustainable path forward.”
As well as experts in the field of biodiversity conservation, the project also involves Traditional Owners to help address threats like invasive species, declining populations and gaps in knowledge.
“Central to the project is empowering Aboriginal Traditional Owners in country management, including fire management, with potential for supporting local livelihoods,” Scientific Advisory board expert Rosie Cooney said.
“Innovative science is crucial, focusing on understanding threatened species such as the Palm Cockatoo and Saltwater Crocodile. Already, the project has discovered a new snake species in its inaugural year.”