inspiration

Conservation works – with persistence, coalition-building, good faith, and a dose of luck

In much of life, we expect quick results - and this is true of conservation too. But in reality, conservation involves hard graft, patience, diplomacy and collaboration, over decades. And so it was for saigas: After 20 years, with many ups and downs, we have finally reached the point when the species as a whole can be considered out of the danger zone. Here's my take on how this happened.

2023-12-11T18:28:31+00:00December 11th, 2023|

The Matchbox Mountain: Can Portugal Save Its Burning Lungs?

Night had begun to fall when we found the small dirt track. We’d already traveled for over two days to get here. The Serra da Estrela, Portugal, is a place like no other. On surface level you see deep forests, steep gorges and sunsets that remind you of the African plains. But as you look a little closer you begin to see a lie: Invasive eucalyptus. Where Eucalyptus stops, seas of maritime pine – thin, tall, closely packed – flood to the plains below, another alien from post-war industrialisation. What is initially a beautiful sight is in fact a matchbox mountain, just waiting for a spark.

2023-08-31T09:44:47+00:00August 31st, 2023|