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Cambridge resident receives new award in conservation
Environmentalist Tony Juniper, who lives in Cambridge, has been the first to receive a unique and prestigious award, created by The Wildlife Trusts - in honour of conservation pioneer, Charles Rothschild, and his daughter, Miriam.
Charles Rothschild, who lived in Cambridge in 1899, established the UK’s first nature reserve when he bought Wicken Fen, near Ely in 1899 and Woodwalton Fen, near Huntingdon in 1910.
Juniper - one of the UK’s best known environmentalists and newly appointed Trustee of The Wildlife Trust for Cambridgeshire- has been awarded The Charles Rothschild and Miriam Rothschild medal by Charles Rothschild’s great granddaughter, Beth Rothschild.
He received the medal- for vision and leadership in conservation- in front of 250 members of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust in Oxford, where he first started volunteering.
Special guests included The Wildlife Trusts’ president Professor Aubrey Manning, TV presenter and naturalist Nick Baker, Julian Pettifer, Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher and Professor Dieter Helm.
On being nominated for the medal, Tony said: “I am absolutely delighted to receive this medal. Charles Rothschild was a real visionary and it is a great honour to be recognised with an award that is in his name and that of his campaigning daughter.”
Brian Eversham, Chief Executive of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough, said, “It is a fitting tribute to the central role that Cambridgeshire plays in the history of the UK nature conservation movement that a Cambridge resident is the first recipient of this new award. Tony is a World-renowned environmentalist and we are delighted that he agreed to support the charity as a Trustee at our Annual General Meeting last month.”
The Wildlife Trusts’ chief executive, Stephanie Hilborne said: “Tony truly has achieved great things over the past three decades through his campaigning, writing and advisory work. We are delighted to formally recognise him as one of our most inspirational environmentalists and celebrate his efforts and achievements.”
Earlier this year, The Wildlife Trusts canvassed for nominations for The Charles Rothschild and Miriam Rothschild medal which recognises outstanding achievements in the promotion, study, management or conservation of the natural environment.
Speaking about the launch of the medal, Stephanie Hilborne, said: “It is fitting for a new award to be created in the Rothschilds’ memory as The Wildlife Trusts push forward with one of the most ambitious environmental approaches in 100 years.
“Charles Rothschild founded the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (originally the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves). He had a vision for the countryside that was ahead of its time: the protection of the UK’s most important wildlife-rich areas as nature reserves. He was a man of action and of great persuasive powers.
“Tony Juniper has shown that same vision and leadership from the outset of his career and, as such, has inspired so many people.”
She continued: “Now, once again, the people behind The Wildlife Trusts are breaking new ground – working with landowners, politicians, businesses and the wider community to pursue our vision of A Living Landscape.
“Landscape-scale conservation is becoming a reality. There are now more than 100 Living Landscape schemes being developed - as far afield as the Great Fen near Huntingdon, Pumlumon in the heart of Wales and Druridge Bay on the Northumberland coast.”
Tony Juniper works as a Senior Associate with the Cambridge University Programme for sustainability leadership, where he is a special adviser to The Prince of Wales' Rainforest Project. He is the editor in chief of National Geographic magazine’s new Green magazine supplement and writes a weekly column for The Sunday Times.
Furthur information:
- Charles Rothschild
Charles Nathaniel Rothschild (1877 – 1923) was a pioneer of nature conservation and inspirational founder and first chairman of the Society for the Promotion of Nature Reserves (SPNR).
In a clear echo of the modern approach of The Wildlife Trusts, Charles Rothschild gathered together an influential band of politicians, landowners, scientists and businessmen – such as the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Foreign Secretary and eminent ecologists of the day, such as Professor Arthur Tansley. Together the group helped Rothschild identify and conserve more than 280 sites.
- Miriam Rothschild
Miriam Rothschild (1908-2005) became a Council member of SPNR in June 1935 and was a vice president of the modern Society at her death.
Miriam Rothschild was energetic and resolute in the cause of the natural environment. An active member of the Society from 1935, she became a leading authority on many aspects of science, including the biochemistry of insect communication. Her exceptional dedication led Miriam to continue her father’s ground-breaking work on the flea and she was co-author of the New Naturalist volume, Fleas, Flukes and Cuckoos.
The positive actions of Miriam Rothschild to protect the natural heritage of her own land still have great resonance today. Strong local organisations are, after all, the bedrock of modern Wildlife Trusts. Three times during World War II she defended her local woods from destruction by the authorities. And her passion for wildlife meadows was so strong she became a pioneer of wildlife gardening, enthusiastically promoting her new interest by producing wildlife seeds.
- The Charles Rothschild and Miriam Rothschild medial
The solid silver medal – designed, engraved and struck by The Royal Mint – depicts Charles Rothschild and his daughter, Miriam, as a young woman, above chequered skipper butterflies.
The reverse is engraved with species from a range of habitats – wetlands, woodlands and meadows – symbolic of the wildlife Charles and Miriam studied and worked so tirelessly to conserve. As Miriam loved wildflowers, the medal has a ring of ladies bedstraw, ragged robin, meadow cranesbill and cowslip.
At the top is a flea, to the right a nuthatch, representing the woodlands at Miriam’s home at Ashton Wold in Northants, and to the left a fox cub. As a young woman, Miriam looked after orphaned cubs.