What does conservation mean to you?

‘Conservation means What does conservation to me what it means to many conscientious individuals who in our everyday lives try to be caretakers respecting the landscape of our lives through preservation, recycling, repurpos- mean to you? ing. As an artist it means something more to me – to document, to praise, to create a love for the natural world through poetry and in photography because we tend to protect what we love and revere. Mary Oliver’s idea of conserva tion is not extreme. I live on 11½ acres of mostly wooded ‘The more we interfere with nature, animals, and the environment, the chances increase we will pay for it down the road. The pursuit of more, probably will be the downfall to our world; more doesn’t always mean better. Take the ordinary bee; it pollinates the flowers we give to loved ones, it makes delicious honey that we consume and yet, most people stay away from the bee. If we interfere with it, there is a chance to get stung. So, we leave it alone and it does its job. However, if someone finds themselves around a hive, they know they are in a dangerous situation because there are more bees. I thought more was better? More bees means more honey, more flowers, etc. We don’t want to see more bees, we just want to continue their efforts. Our mentality is to pick more flowers, bees will make more. Guzzle and mass produce the honey, the bees can work overtime. No, we need to value the honey, save it, savour it, and conserve it. Easier said than done, I am guilty of it too. We tend to see the wastefulness in other people, but not in ourselves. We need to words come to me: ‘Love yourself. Then forget it. Then love the world’’ Andrena Zawinski ‘Conservation is our future, the medicine of our survival. If we and our future generations are going to survive we all need deeper education about this subject, which at the moment we know very little about.’ Jane Bayliss land. The trees, I nurture, and am careful they are not cut unless a ne cessity warrants it. On this land, deer have always been free to come and go as they please and I don’t put up any barriers to their haunts. Conserva tion is respect, and that’s what’s Judy DeCroce ful county in South West England. Here, we are blessed with a diverse range of trees, plants, animals, landscapes and stun ning coastal areas. As a creative artist, I love to cap remember what seems like a good idea today, ture the wonderful and majestic natural world through doesn’t mean it’s good for tomorrow.’ my Romantic paintings. To me, conservation is all about ‘The history of nature Steven Kish acknowledging the beauty around you and actively trying to conservation as a movement is reduce the impact you have on your surroundings, while ensur long and complex, but simply put: as ing future generations are able to enjoy living in the world they an incredibly smart and powerful species will inherit. I’ve started using more recycled materials as the me – so much so that we are able to destroy our dium for my paintings and have been promoting this as much as environment and undermine our own living con- possible. My ‘Driftwood Collection’ features paintings on bark, ditions – we have a practical and moral obligation tiles, window frames, broken fences, and even old coffee tables! to preserve habitats and species. In a former career, If one of my paintings touches a person’s soul, then I am able

I helped governments and companies internalise the to trigger a change in the way they think and feel. Hopeful

‘hidden’ environmental costs of their activities – which ‘Conservation to ly I can get them to fall in love with the natural world and requires a lot of work. I also have a particular interest me is conserving some- consider how they might be able to protect it. While in ecofeminism, which explores the parallels between thing from the natural world such gestures may seem small, there are many parts the oppression of nature and the oppression of for future generations to enjoy, to the jigsaw puzzle and if everyone does their women, both historically perceived as dark, neb- appreciate and cultivate into some- bit, together we can make a real differ ulous matters that can be appropriated and thing we can all enjoy, treasure and used – a very problematic way of thinking, find nourishment from. Nourishindeed.’ ment in mind, body and soul.’

Lorelei Bacht Ryan Mostert

‘My idea of conservation is the continuous, concentrated and collaborative effort of the individual and the society at large to create a visible difference to the lives of not just a particular class or species of flora and fauna, but a holistic observation of the planet with all its elements, human and wild, nature and soil so as to craft a secure blueprint for a balanced world. ‘My We need to remember that conservation is an effort idea of conserva- to connect, coordinate and deliver ourselves out tion is not extreme. I live of the clutches of indifference, imbalance and on 11½ acres of mostly wooded ineptitude when it comes to leaving behind a land. The trees, I nurture, and am better and brighter tomorrow for our future careful they are not cut unless a ne- ‘Conservation generations.’ cessity warrants it. On this land, deer to me starts within Katherine Abraham have always been free to come and go myself, realising that I’m just as they please and I don’t put up any one tiny spec on the planet and no barriers to their haunts. Conserva- more important than anything else in the natural world. It’s about not being an invasive, parasitic species but one that lives symbiotically with all nature and that now some serious damage has been done, taking responsibility for it by tion is respect, and that’s what’s given.’ Judy DeCroce ‘Conservation is not a general word but a personal one with me. The terrain and educating myself and my children on how to live wildlife here on my wooded acreage sustainably, protect the planet and the awe- guide its fate. Animals, especially deer and Canada geese, roam and rest without inspiring nature that inhabits it. Conservation is a global responsibility that has to start interruption. Close to the house, I keep with all of us as individuals.’ birds well-fed and watered during all ‘I live Brendan Rawlings seasons. And, the trees are monitored, in Somerset, a beauti- thinned, or replanted when necessary. ful county in South West England. Conservation is just a natural temHere, we are blessed with a diverse range po and routine here.’ of trees, plants, animals, landscapes and stun- Antoni Ooto ning coastal areas. As a creative artist, I love to capture the wonderful and majestic natural world through my Romantic paintings. To me, conservation is all about ‘I worked in Energy acknowledging the beauty around you and actively trying to Conservation doing energy audits, reduce the impact you have on your surroundings, while ensur- amongst other things, for over 30 years. ing future generations are able to enjoy living in the world they We only started doing air sealing by pressuriswill inherit. I’ve started using more recycled materials as the me- ing houses with a large door fan in the last five or ten dium for my paintings and have been promoting this as much as years of my working life. What conservation means to possible. My ‘Driftwood Collection’ features paintings on bark, me is how much time and knowledge I wasted by not being tiles, window frames, broken fences, and even old coffee tables! aware or educating others as to the benefits of air sealing and

If one of my paintings touches a person’s soul, then I am able pressure zone testing. I realize you may be thinking on a largto trigger a change in the way they think and feel. Hopeful- er scale than residential homes but that is where my familiarity ly I can get them to fall in love with the natural world and begins. What is convenient to some is inconvenient to others. I consider how they might be able to protect it. While am referring to clothes dryers. Nobody hangs their clothes out such gestures may seem small, there are many parts anymore. I have a painting and it is such a beautiful painting, of to the jigsaw puzzle and if everyone does their some colorful clothes drying in what is assumed to be a warm bit, together we can make a real differ- breeze. The artist, from the African continent, achieved most ence.’ of this with acquired objects gluing them to the wooden Mark Noble board. Oil paints and the like may have not been available or affordable but the artist adapted. So when I look at this painting I still think of conservation and beauty.’ Colin James 55