Founded on 5 October 1948 as the International Union for the Protection of Nature (IUPN), following on an international conference in Fontainebleau, France; changed its name into International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in 1956, in 1990 shortened to IUCN-The World Conservation Union; has its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland; as a world wide organization the IUCN brings together states, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations as well as scientists and other experts on issues of nature conservation and environmental policy.

Gift Chris Maas Geesteranus 1999

Collection mainly consisting of documents of the Commission on Education of IUCN, formed by its secretary J. Goudswaard and his successor C. Maas Geesteranus, both from the Netherlands. Minutes of meetings, correspondence, reports, manuals, recommendations, programmes, discussion papers and other documents of the Commission on Education of IUCN 1949-1991 and of the North West Europe Committee of the Commission on Education 1960-1990; minutes, agenda, working papers and other documents relating to meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Board of IUCN 1954-1990; reports and other documents relating to international and regional conferences and workshops on environmental education 1949-1988; country reports and documentation on nature conservation and environmental education in different countries, including the Netherlands, the USSR, Norway, Finland and Germany 1948-1991.

Accrual 2011: papers from J. Goudswaard, Secretary of the IUCN Permanent Commission on Education: minutes of and other documents regarding the meetings of the Board of the IUCN, reports, membership lists and other documents 1962-1970.