Wild Horizons
Join our Wild Horizons series to hear fireside stories from today’s
most inspiring conservation pioneers
JOIN THE CONVERSATION →
Our Wild Horizons series offers exclusive and enlightening insights from conservation experts and inspiring thought leaders. Join us to learn about the world's most ambitious and inspiring restoration projects. These live conversations delve into the story behind the most successful and innovative rewilding initiatives which are transforming the planet. The events are free to attend but limited, so register now to confirm your space.
Upcoming Conversations →
Barbara and Christoph Promberger
Creating Europe’s Largest Forest National Park: Carpathian Mountains, Romania
Wednesday, 9th November 2022
6.30pm GMT / 7.30pm CET
1.30pm EST / 10.30am PT
IN CONVERSATION WITH…
FCC
With the forest restitution in Romania and clear-cuts starting in 2005, they went back into conservation and founded Foundation Conservation Carpathia with the goal to stop illegal cutting and to create a world-class wilderness reserve. Since 2009, they have raised over €100m , which has developed into the largest private land conservation project in Europe and have made huge steps to realise this plan.
HOSTED BY ISABELLA TREE
Past Conversations →
Paul Lister & Elma Kay hosted by Ross Westgate
Discovering Unknown Belize
After a childhood of adventure, followed by 20 years in the furniture industry; Paul Lister turned his life’s purpose to nature and established The European Nature Trust (TENT) whilst also purchasing Alladale, a 23,000 acre traditional sporting estate in Scotland.
For the last 20+ years TENT has continued to support conservation and wildlife foundations across Scotland, Mediterranean and east European countries, whilst Alladale has been transformed into a pioneering Wilderness Reserve where nature restoration and green tourism are central to its mission.
For the past decade, Paul has spent many winter weeks exploring Belize and discovering its incredible nature and wonderful people. His love of the country, people and wildlife has led him to create a documentary series on Belize, Unknown Belize, and to work with Journeys With Purpose to shape and host a special Journey to Belize between 23rd Feburary – 2nd March 2024.
Elma Kay is the Managing Director of Belize Maya Forest Trust, the non-governmental organisation entrusted with the stewardship and management of Belize’s second largest private protected area. Alongside this role, her passion for combining biodiversity protection with community participation and sustainable financing has led her to be the Chairwoman of Belize Network of NGOs, Maya Forest Corridor Trust, and Belize’s Scientific Authority for the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Elma will join our guests during our Journey to Belize to share more on Belize Maya Forest Trust’s vital work and the outstanding biodiversity Belize Maya Forest protects.
Ross Westgate is a financial broadcaster and businessman with a decorated career in journalism. Ross is also Co-Founder of Gleann Mor Natural Capital, formed to help put nature at the heart of our economy. An advisory and project management business, it helps scale up nature-based solutions working with Landowners/ Managers, NGO’s, Corporates and Investors as well as a broad range of Environmental Solution Providers. Gleann Mor is named after one of the 2 principle valleys at Alladale Wilderness Reserve and has been inspired by its work as well as that of The European Nature Trust, for which Ross has been an Ambassador and advisor since 2014.
Barbara and Christoph Promberger hosted by Isbella Tree
Creating Europe’s Largest Forest National Park: Carpathian Mountains, Romania
Christoph, born in 1965, achieved a degree in forestry at the University of Munich, however was always drawn to protect natural landscapes instead of logging them down. In 1993, he initiated a research project about wolves in the Romanian Carpathians where he intended to spend 3 years.
However, meeting his Austrian wife Barbara, a fellow biologists and conservationist, in Romania, he spent the next 10 years developing this initial research into a complex multi-layer conservation project upon wolves, bears, and lynx. In 2003, after finishing the large carnivore project, Christoph and Barbara set up a horse-riding business and spent time exploring Transylvania on horse-back.
Isabella Tree is an award-winning journalist and author of five books, married to the conservationist Charlie Burrell.
Her best-selling book Wilding tells the story of the daring wildlife experiment they began in 2000: rewilding their 3,500 acres of unprofitable farmland at Knepp Estate in West Sussex, UK. In less than twenty years their degraded land has become a functioning ecosystem again, wildlife has rocketed and numerous endangered species have made Knepp their home. What has happened at Knepp challenges conventional ideas about nature, wildlife and how we manage and envisage our land. It reveals the potential for the landscapes of the future.
Isabella and Charlie are currently working on The Book of Wilding – a practical guide to rewilding big and small, due to be published by Bloomsbury in May 2023. Isabella also writes for The Guardian, National Geographic Magazine and Granta. Her children’s books When We Went Wild and When The Storks Came Home are published sustainably by Quarto Books.
Kristine Tompkins hosted by Jonathan Baillie
REWILDING THE JAGUAR
IBERÁ WETLANDS
ARGENTINA
Conservationist Kristine Tompkins & her late husband Douglas Tompkins have achieved unprecedented success as philanthropists with more than 25 years dedicated to saving wildlife and natural habitats. As the current president and cofounder of Tompkins Conservation, Kristine has worked to protect wild beauty and biodiversity by creating national parks, inspiring activism & fostering economic vitality as a result of conservation. In 2018, she was named the United Nations‘ Global Patron for Protected Areas.
Jonathan Baillie is President of Natural State whose mission is large-scale natural restoration. Jonathan was formerly Chief Scientist and Executive Vice President, Science and Exploration at National Geographic Society, where he led grant making in areas of science and exploration and acted as Vice Chair of National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration, based in Washington DC.