About
For much of Africa, wildlife tourism provides significant income to help maintain parks where vulnerable species such as elephants, lions, rhinos and giraffes live. It is estimated that 24 million Africans depend on tourism for their livelihood. But after the coronavirus struck, the entire international tourism sector closed down overnight in March 2020. Critical revenue which helps ensure people and wildlife benefit from these areas, came to an immediate halt and future revenue is at stake as no one knows when tourism may recover and to what level. This pandemic is having a profound social and economic impact on us all, but especially so for rural communities.
This pandemic is also showing the intricate relationship between wild areas and human health. Data show that the rise in habitat loss and exploitation of wildlife is linked to the increase of these epidemics, from Covid to Sars, Mers, Ebola among others. And so if there was ever a case for protecting nature, if we ever needed a reminder that our mission matters and that nature matters to people’s lives, it is now.
Effectively managed parks serve as a nucleus for stability, in that they become safe places. Where wildlife thrive, people thrive. These well-managed parks deliver a host of ecological, socio-political and economic benefits for people living in and around these landscapes. They create jobs, provide education, and change lives.
Just because we can’t travel to these parks, does not mean we can’t provide meaningful support - and all help in our own way.
That is why an inspired and generous group of acclaimed international wildlife photographers has come together for an extraordinary, limited-edition, print fundraiser to support local communities and wildlife during COVID-19.
Prints for Wildlife | The Fundraiser
Watch as Pie Aerts and Marion Payr, co-founders of Prints for Wildlife, tell us a little more about the campaign and what inspired them to help.
Prints for Wildlife from African Parks on Vimeo.
- A fundraiser to support African Parks to help wildlife and communities during COVID-19
- 90+ photographers, 1 cause
- Because we need nature now more than ever
The print fundraiser titled “Prints for Wildlife” is raising funds for African Parks to ensure protected areas continue to deliver benefits to people and wildlife across the 18 protected areas they manage on behalf of governments.
The fundraiser launches on the 26th of July 2020 and runs for one month until the 26th of August 2020. “Prints for Wildlife” features more than 90 photographers from 30+ countries including acclaimed wildlife photographers as well as local talent from Rwanda, Kenya, Botswana and South Africa. This diverse group of photographers has gathered together to each generously donate one limited fine art print to the fundraiser, which is sold for 100 USD per print.
The “Prints for Wildlife” Fundraiser runs from 26th of July to 26th of August 2020
The project initiators
About Pie Aerts
Pie Aerts (Instagram: @pie_aerts) is a Dutch documentary and wildlife photographer with a sincere interest in human/wildlife conflict stories. Through his lens, he examines the intricate relationship between animals, humans and nature. And, as we become increasingly distant from each other and ourselves, he uses photography to search for the cause of this disconnect. Last March, when the world came to a halt and all of his projects in Africa and Asia were put on hold, he partnered with Marion Payr in setting up this fundraiser because he believes art can be an incredibly powerful tool in restoring that lost connection.
About Marion Payr
Marion Payr (Instagram: @ladyvenom) is a travel photographer based in Austria. After her first trip to Namibia in 2018 she fell in love with Africa and has traveled through Zambia and Botswana extensively in 2019. 2020 everything is different and she won’t be able to return to Africa - so instead she partnered up with Pie Aerts to create the “Prints for Wildlife” fundraiser. She is passionate about female photography and wildlife conservation and seeks to unite the two topics whenever possible, aiming to create a more diverse representation within the realm of wildlife photography.
The photo lab
For this campaign we partnered with Gallery Color a professional photo lab based in Amsterdam, established in 1977, with production facilities located in Noordwijk. They are specialised in producing high-end print productions for the individual as well as the professional market (museum, art galleries, artists, photographers and resellers). The range of options is wide with traditional C-prints (Lambda and Chromira), fine-art pigment prints and various finishes like aluminium, dibond and perspex. All prints are produced with the newest Epson printers (maximum print size 64 inches).
Website: https://www.gallerycolor.nl
The paper
For this project we partnered with Hahnemühle and chose to work with the brand-new sustainable Hahnemühle Natural Line Hemp 290 gr paper. This paper uses one of the oldest and most diverse natural fibres in the world and is made of 60% hemp fibre and 40% cotton. The lightly textured surface gives the paper a pleasant, silky feel. Combined with the matt premium inkjet coating, this is a truly versatile fine-art inkjet paper. Colours and details are brilliantly reproduced, the depth of the black truly stands out and contrasts are reproduced with stunning effect. The acid and lignin-free fine-art inkjet paper meets the most discerning requirements for age resistance. A beautiful and sustainable printing solution.
Click here to learn more!
The contributing photographers
Check out more about where your donations go to in the section "The cause".