'WHERE FINE ART CONTRIBUTES TO CONSERVATION'
Being part of the solution.
I always have had an immense respect and fascination for wildlife and Nature. In my daily life, I try to leave a smallest impact as possible on our planet by being vegetarian, living off-grid and promoting minimalism and 'degrowth' but I also want to give back to the Earth through my art and contribute to the vital effort of conservation. When buying a print from me, at least 10% of sales goes directly to a partnering organization carefully selected to have as much positive impact as possible in protecting the environment.
Along my journey with different wildlife organizations, I am a strong believer that communities living among wildlife should be the first one benefiting from conservation. Sustainable conservation effort is a balanced partnership between local communities and wildlife, where both benefit from each others equally. Education and empowering communities is a key factor to spread the idea that we are all part of the environment, therefore all part of the solution.
The Mara Discovery Center
Aitong - KENYA
The Mara Discovery & Community Empowerment Centre (MDC) is a project developed in 2008 to actively demonstrate that sustainable and non consumptive use of natural resources can be profitable to local communities and significantly contribute toward poverty alleviation in Aitong and other communal areas outside the Mara National Reserve. It is a combination of tourism, conservation, environmental education and development of community based micro enterprises. It provides local communities, the tourism industry, researchers, educators, students, volunteers and conservationists all access to each other in order to build conservation and development partnerships that aim to secure conservation related livelihoods while ensuring the environmental and biodiversity resources are utilized sustainably.
AZ Wildlife Resource
Eloy - ARIZONA
Arizona Wildlife Resource assists rehabilitation facilities as an extension service across the state of Arizona. They pick up birds and raptors in need and transport them to rehab centers. This organization also bring educational support to help people with wildlife-related questions and teach people effective poison-free rodent-control methods to protect raptors and other predators.
Their goal is to help people understand nature in order to grow wildlife-friendly communities.