10/02/2026
THE CONSERVATION TRUST LAUNCHES TODAY
February 9, 2026
Simon Bloch
Former South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dr Dion George has been appointed the inaugural Executive Chairman of the Conservation Trust, a new initiative and think-tank carefully designed and crafted to educate policymakers and sustain the political will to build global coalitions against the illegal wildlife trade.
Knowledgeable and deeply experienced in environmental governance and public-sector leadership in complex, multi-stakeholder settings, Dr George will lead the Trust's global strategy and initial rollout of programmes, ensuring pragmatic, results-driven engagement with governments and partners worldwide, including guiding research on policy innovations like carbon credits and conservation caucuses.
With a global presence in locations like Washington, DC, London, Cape Town, Brussels, and Tokyo, the trust aims to bridge the gap between conservation science, research, and real-world policy implementation, including addressing emerging issues like human-wildlife conflict through innovative research and policy frameworks.
Speaking from Washington DC, Dr George said:
“The illegal wildlife trade is not only a conservation crisis—it is a governance failure that rewards criminal networks and punishes communities and ecosystems. Illegal wildlife trade remains a global threat to biodiversity, undermining the rule of law, enabling corruption, and destabilizing communities.”
Shelton Mollentze, spokesman for the trust, said “the organization will focus on closing policy loopholes, advancing effective enforcement frameworks, and helping governments translate conservation priorities into implementable laws, budgets, and interagency action.
“As Executive Chairman, Dion George will lead The Conservation Trust’s global strategy and its initial rollout of programs including a Global Policymaker Education Series, model legislative and regulatory toolkits, regional coalition convenings, and rapid-response policy support.
“Too often, governments that want to act are moving without the benefit of a shared playbook—one that connects conservation evidence to real-world legislation, enforcement coordination, and financing. Our mission is to help policymakers move faster from intent to action, and to create coalitions strong enough to sustain reform.” Mollentze added.
ENDS
