Call goes out for nature visionaries
The Wildlife Trusts are seeking nominations of people taking action for nature and helping to secure its future recovery.
The ‘Charles Rothschild and Miriam Rothschild Medal’ is a prestigious award, which honours individuals who have made outstanding contributions towards the Rothschilds’ original vision whether directly or indirectly.
Mike Pratt, Northumberland Wildlife Trust Chief Executive makes a specific plea for nominations, he says: “Vision and leadership made Charles Rothschild the most inspirational environmentalist of his day. His daughter, Miriam, was also a visionary pioneer who continued her father’s ground-breaking work. She dedicated her life to protecting the natural environment. We hope the legacy of these visionaries will inspire future generations.
Who do you think in today’s society has done something outstanding for nature, following in these great people’s footsteps?“
It was banker and expert naturalist, Charles Rothschild, whose vision for protected areas for nature laid the foundations of nature conservation. Before 1912 conservation focused on protecting specific species from how important it was to protect the places where wildlife thrived. By protecting a place, the whole range within it could benefit. On 16 May 1912, Rothschild called the inaugural meeting of the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (SPNR) at the Natural History Museum. This body was, in time, to become The Wildlife Trusts movement.
If you know of someone who deserves to be recognised for their outstanding work for the natural environment, The Wildlife Trusts would like to hear from you. More information is at http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/rothschildmedal. The closing date for nominations is Friday 27 June 2014.
