Elephants at Tsavo National Park, Kenya. Photo credit: Atul Bhatt

Earthwatch is an international environmental charity which is committed to conserving the diversity and integrity of life on earth to meet the needs of current and future generations.

Its mission is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Earthwatch works with a wide range of partners, from individuals who work as conservation volunteers on research teams through to corporate partners, governments and institutions.

Earthwatch has a global reach, with offices in Oxford (UK), Boston (USA), Melbourne ( Australia ) and Tokyo ( Japan ). Every year over four thousand people volunteer their time and skills to work with 130 scientists on Earthwatch field research projects in over 50 countries all around the world.

The MCFEA has supported Earthwatch since 1993. In 2009 it will continue to support Earthwatch with a donation of £27,900, bringing the MCFEA's total donations to Earthwatch to over £380,000. This year's grant-making includes support for the following:

Earthwatch's 2009 Events Programme – The MCFEA is sponsoring Earthwatch's entire events programme for 2009, including its Annual Debate (its flagship awareness-raising event) as well as another three lectures, given by scientists involved in Earthwatch expeditions. The events programme is part of Earthwatch's educational mission to disseminate information and encourage action on environmental issues. The Annual Debate and each lecture are held in the main auditorium at the Royal Geographic Society in London.

African Fellowships Programme - Since 1998, the MCFEA has also supported the African Fellowships Programme, which provides training for African scientists and conservationists in field techniques and how to conduct valuable research in the countries where they work.