TOKYO, Japan – Charitable Trust “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation,” established by Suntory Holdings, will start accepting applications for the FY2022 grant programs from September 1st. A total of approximately 40 million Japanese yen will be granted across three categories “Bird Conservation Groups Activities Grant,” “Regional Bird-watching Activities Grant,” and “Waterfront Large Bird Conservation”.
Recognizing that wild birds are barometers of the environment, Suntory started its bird conservation activities in 1973. The company established the “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation” in 1989, later registered as a Charitable Trust in 1990, to promote environmental conservation through providing grants to various bird conservation activities. To date, the Fund has granted a total of approximately 600 million Japanese yen to a total of 451 organizations.
This time, the Fund has launched a “Global Application Scheme” under the “Bird Conservation Groups Activities Grant” category, accepting applications from overseas bird conservation organizations*. While the Fund has provided grants to wild bird conservation activities and research conducted overseas in the past, it will further expand its support to various bird conservation activities globally through this new scheme.
*Applications from overseas organizations must be submitted through a Japanese organization.
About Suntory ’s bird conservation activities
In 1973, Suntory started the “Save the Birds! Campaign” on newspaper advertisement with a slogan “Today Birds, Tomorrow Humans,” advocating the tragedies that happen to birds today, will also happen to humans tomorrow. On the same year, the company also established a wild bird sanctuary in Suntory Hakushu Distillery in Japan where it conducts various activities such as wild bird research and observation as well as nest box hanging. In order to further its effort in bird conservation activities, the company established the “Suntory Fund for Bird Conservation” in 1989.
Suntory conducts forest management in 21 locations near its production sites across Japan called “Suntory Natural Water Sanctuaries,” where experts constantly conduct wild bird research. The results of these research are utilized to manage the forests and conserve the environment in these sanctuaries. In the “Suntory Natural Water Sanctuaries,” the company also nurtures young Raptores such as eagles and hawks which top in the ecosystem pyramid under the “Eagle/Hawk Nurturing Support Program” by creating a rich and well-balanced natural environment suited for nesting, feeding and child-rearing.
Learn more about Suntory’s bird conservation activities here.
