Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago

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With USAID being shutdown, I wanted to bring your attention to one of its lesser known responsibilities: that of global conservation. In this video, I've highlighted for you several projects from around the world that were funded by USAID and which helped to conserve global biodiversity. They also benefited local communities and Americans alike. I myself had no idea about a lot of these, so this video was as much a learning opportunity for me as it was a teaching one. Enjoy.

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Sources and Resources:
nytimes.com/2020/04/15/travel/colombia-lost-city-ciudad-perdida.html

nytimes.com/2025/02/06/travel/national-parks-tourism-usaid.html

web.archive.org/web/20250209160317/https://www.dai.com/our-work/projects/colombia-destination-nature-activity-dna

birdlife.org/news/2020/11/17/saving-seychelles-disappearing-coral-reefs

medium.com/usaid-2030/how-to-save-a-tiger-4e0610e0914b

nytimes.com/2019/02/20/opinion/africa-national-parks.html

nytimes.com/2025/02/12/opinion/usaid-foreign-aid.html

nytimes.com/2025/02/08/us/politics/usaid-funding-trump-fact-check.html

sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378112711005354?via%3Dihub

rainforest-alliance.org/in-the-field/community-the-secret-to-stopping-deforestation-in-guatemala

earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152940/the-shrinking-selva-maya

medium.com/usaid-2030/4-ways-usaid-promotes-community-based-conservation-d77dcff6547c

https://carpe.umd.edu/sites/default/files/documentsarchive/Trip Rpt - Gabon_Dec2004.pdf

Images and Music:
Storyblocks
USAID
Stephen Hiltner/NYT
Rainforest Alliance
Gorongosa National Park
Jacob Jepreson