Problem Statement:

67% of all Earth’s wildlife has been lost in the past 4 decades, causing the most devastating loss of biodiversity since the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. Today, 32,000 species are threatened with extinction. In the next decade, 95% of biodiversity could be lost and up to 1 million species could be threatened with extinction. The global mass animal extinction, the loss of biodiversity, and degradation of natural zones demand fundamental changes in the way nonprofits and charities raise funding as conservation funding needs to be scaled 20 to 30 times to reach our planet’s needs. Wildchain strives to support this by building novel fundraising structures that can mobilize funds at scale and that appeal to the masses – with a starting point in Bangkok, Thailand.

 

Target Group:

There are three target groups, namely: 1) Organizations that preserve, manage, enhance and protect habitats of endangered species; 2) Organizations that work to eradicate poaching, smuggling, and illegal trade of animals, their parts, and derivatives; and 3) Organizations that engage with indigenous and local communities & farmers.

 

Proposed Solution:

Wildchain is a non-profit climate action tool that lets the user adopt wildlife and plant trees to cut the user’s carbon footprint and support real-world conservation efforts - all within a mobile game. In the game, the user becomes a Digital Conservationist and his/her mission is to preserve all wildlife on Earth. Actions in the game trigger real-world impact, and 100% of our profits go toward wildlife conservation initiatives. Simply by playing the non-profit mobile game, you can: 1) Plant trees & offset your carbon footprint; 2) Help protect the natural habitat of wildlife species; 3) Help create employment for underprivileged people; 4) Back a wildlife ranger. Each animal in the game is a unique, digital counterpart of an animal living in the wild. We use cutting-edge technologies to blend the real and virtual world. Blockchain-based tokens are created to create provably scarce digital assets. Real-world animal population data is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, while real-world environmental data is sourced from OECD & UN Environment.

 

Hub Activities:

In March 2019, wildfires burned over 400 rai of the Chiang Dao Forest that resulted in a pollution crisis that extended to Chiang Mai. In response, we decided to initiate a tree planting campaign to help revitalize the flora and fauna of the jungle. 54 volunteers came together to help make lasting changes for our natural world and the critters that call it home. In October 2019, we were part of the Good Society Expo that encompassed many like-minded non-profit organizations and social enterprises that actively take a role in social and environmental issues in Thailand and the world. We sold "mystery boxes" that contained items donated from various businesses that would contribute to their goal in helping to counter the extinction and loss of all species, especially those that are currently endangered. Wildchain was able to raise ฿175,325.70. This campaign demonstrated that charities and nonprofits can be innovative and creative in the ways in which they raise funds for good.

 

We are in the process of launching the application, which is slated for completion in mid-2021.

 

We are also incubating a campaign within Wildchain called 'Art Against Extinction.' 50 Artists are invited to paint, draw, sculpt and design their own unique creative art piece. The campaign focuses on showcasing the myriad number of species currently facing possible extinction while simultaneously raising funds for conservation projects to preserve the last remaining populations in the real world. Art Against Extinction aims to bring together artists from all walks of life, professionals and amateurs, artists living with physical or mental disabilities, youth, refugees, LGBT, and more. Artists will have the creative freedom to depict diverse perspectives by promoting biodiversity and supporting conservation efforts within their art work. All art pieces will be available for purchase through an auction with the profits going to wildlife conservation charities."

 

Short & Long-Term Goals/Results:

The following short-term results will be measured in the following ways, on a quarterly basis:

- The number of users connected to the gaming platform

- The overall time spent by all users on the gaming platform

- The amount of monetary revenue generated on the gaming platform

- The number of wildlife conservation projects that have benefited from the funding generated by the project

- The wildlife conservation impact, delivered in number of support mechanisms (e.g.: equipment, man/hours, etc.) provided for wildlife conservation non-profit organization

- The number of trees planted through the tree sponsorship initiative"

The long-term change is to: 1) Educate: More people are aware of the threats for wildlife; 2) Engage: People have a tool that allows them to take action on a daily basis; and 3) Enhance: Wildlife conservation initiatives have access to new funding sources

Available Metrics:

3,187 animals adopted, 18,300 trees planted, 183 workdays created, 163,602 kg of CO² offset per year for the next 25 years, THB 175,325.70 raised, and 7 shapers (and 54 volunteers!) mobilized for the project.

 

Collaborators:

Socialgiver.com