The Kate Stokes Memorial Trust has selected two winners of this year’s Kate Stokes Memorial Awards. Each of these awards comprise a grant worth $5,000 given to exceptional teams continuing vital work kickstarted by a previous Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) award.
The Kate Stokes Memorial Award (KSMA) was established 20 years ago in memory of Kate Stokes, former CLP Programme Officer, who tragically died in 2006. Since then, each year, the trustees of the Kate Stokes Memorial Trust choose to award $5,000 to an exceptional team of CLP alumni that demonstrates Kate’s same passion and commitment to biodiversity conservation.
In particular, the Trust is committed to supporting CLP alumni who have continued their efforts to conserve threatened species and who are doing so by engaging local communities, increasing knowledge and understanding of conservation, and developing the capacity of local stakeholders.
The trustees usually select only one team for a KSMA, but in 2026 they selected two teams: one led by Juan Reppucci in Argentina and the other led by Martin Mwangi in Kenya.
Building co-existence on shared ground: People, livestock and jaguars (Juan Reppucci, Argentina)
Juan’s project aims to promote the harmonious coexistence between local communities and wildlife in Yungas Forest, northwest Argentina. Human-wildlife conflict is by far the main threat to remaining jaguars in the region. Although the species has declined in numbers here over the last century, the retraction is now slowing, providing an opportunity to prevent or even reverse the decline.
A jaguar caught on a camera trap in Calilegua National Park © Jaguares en el Límite
The team aims to work with local communities to reduce conflict, such as through introducing changes to husbandry practices and training “Conservation Ambassadors” as a contact point for ranchers. They will also train local ranchers in first aid for injured livestock, provide first aid kits, and increase general awareness among local communities on the importance of conservation, using jaguars as a flagship species to protect the entire ecosystem.
“Receiving the Kate Stokes Memorial Award is a great honor that will inject vital energy into our project, allowing us to collaborate with a new community in the Argentinean Yungas, implementing community based conflict mitigation tools. These actions will be instrumental in protecting the jaguar and other wildlife, while actively supporting the livelihoods of local ranchers. This project also provides a great opportunity to expand our team to include early-career conservationists. I feel privileged to introduce them to CLP, which has been the cornerstone of my own professional growth, as I hope it will be just as impactful for them.” – Juan Reppucci
Team member Pablo Perovic explains the first aid procedure for attacked cows to local people and park rangers © Juan Reppucci
Juan first joined the CLP Alumni Network in 2003, as part of an Andean cat conservation project supported by a CLP Follow-Up Award. Six years later, he helped build on this project as part of a team supported by a CLP Leadership Award that enhanced understanding of the Andean cat’s ecological needs, and improved locals’ attitudes towards carnivores and strengthened their capacity in supporting conservation‐friendly activities.
Team members Juan Reppucci, Marco Perovic and Pablo Perovic preparing equipment for fieldwork © Nilce Enrietti
Empowering communities in grassland and bird conservation (Martin Mwangi, Kenya)
Martin’s project focuses on conserving threatened birds and their grassland habitats in Mau Narok-Molo, a Key Biodiversity Area in Kenya. These grasslands host several threatened and endemic birds – for example, Sharpe’s longclaw (Endangered), Jackson’s widowbird (Vulnerable), Aberdare cisticola (Vulnerable), grey-crowned crane (Endangered) and Maccoa duck (Endangered).
Endangered grey crowned crane in Kenya © Martin Mwangi
Martin works as a Programme Coordinator at the NGO, Friends of Kinangop Plateau (FoKP), where he has significantly contributed to securing 3,000+ ha of conserved grasslands in the Kinangop Plateau (including 100+ ha reserves); conducting bird and grassland monitoring; and building local capacity via training and awareness – activities supported by CLP Awards in 2020 and in 2023.
Based on his success in Kinangop, Martin is now using the KSMA to expand this conservation model into Mau Narok-Molo – the second most important habitat of the Endangered Sharpe’s longclaw. In particular, his team will form an officially registered youth-led conservation group here to strengthen local ownership and capacity for grassland and bird conservation. He will also co-develop formal monitoring protocols and training workshops with local communities, who will continue regular monitoring surveys, data management and reporting.
Martin leading a workshop with local communities in Kinangop © Martin Mwangi
Continuous support for long-term impact
An important aspect of CLP’s mission – building the next generation of conservation leaders – is to ensure that the conservationists we support have access to continuous support throughout their careers, not just in the early stages. We believe this ensures that the impact of their work continues beyond the initial grant and that biodiversity conservation solutions are both effective and long-lasting.
Therefore, we provide our alumni with a range of support and mentorship beyond the end of their project to help them grow as leaders and continue their important work. For example, both Juan and Martin have participated in CLP’s Conservation Management & Leadership workshop, where they developed their conservation networks and skills in diverse topics ranging from Conservation Leadership and Project Planning to Fundraising and Behaviour Change. As CLP alumni, they have continued to receive CLP support through our Alumni Grants (small grants supporting professional development opportunities) and other training and funding opportunities for alumni, including the Kate Stokes Memorial Award.
Want to know more?
Contact us at clp@birdlife.org to find out how you can get involved in nurturing the people saving nature.