We at One Earth Conservation conduct all of our conservation work in collaboration with others. Our partners range from indigenous villages in Central America to the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York City. Today, as LoraKim is in the field in Guyana, I’d like to tell you about one of our most important partners from the United States. That is, the nonprofit organization known as Foster Parrots/The New England Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located in southern Rhode Island.
Foster Parrots is a truly amazing place! Located in a former chicken farm, it is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue and protection of unwanted and abused companion parrots and other displaced captive exotic animals. It provides place, peace and protection for captive parrots; working from the belief that parrots and all wild animals should be free.
One Earth Conservation would not exist without Foster Parrots. When our fledgling nonprofit was getting ready to grow and then spread its wings, Foster Parrots provided us with the fiscal sponsorship we needed to start raising donations from a variety of sources. They invite us to their annual fundraising gala, where we are provided with a table to talk to the attendees about our work. In fact, it was at that table a few years ago where we met a representative of one of our largest and most steady foundation donors!
More recently, One Earth Conservation and Foster Parrots have begun to partner in the field. Since both organizations had experience and contacts in Guyana, last year LoraKim traveled to that country with, among others, Foster Parrots’ Founder and Chief Executive Officer Marc Johnson, Executive Director Karen Windsor and Santuary Director Danika Oriol-Morway. During that visit, they discussed with local villagers the status of the parrots in various areas. Together, they made plans for One Earth and Foster Parrots to partner with Guyanese conservationists to work to save the beautiful sun parakeet, one of the most endangered parrots in the world, as well as to ascertain the status of other parrot species so they can develop conservation plans. As I write this, LoraKim and Danika are back there, continuing the work that started one year ago.
Danika Oriol-Morway
Thank you, the wonderful people of Foster Parrots, for all you do for wild and captive parrots in need in the United States and internationally, and for your invaluable support for One Earth Conservation!
You can learn more about Foster Parrots at https://www.fosterparrots.com/.
