Nature to me *is* me: we are nature. It is the foundation for everything; without it, we would not only *have* nothing but we simply could not *be*. At the very, least, then, we must respect and protect the force to which we owe absolutely everything.

Amazingly, while nature is synonymous with our existence, our understanding of it is still so limited, even with rapidly advancing technologies. In their entirety, nature’s history, diversity, dynamics and workings are still a mystery to us. The study of nature in the pursuit of uncovering the extent of its powers is of immeasurable value to us and our future.

Beyond the scientific and practical benefits to our relationship with nature, its role as a gateway to spirituality is upheld in many cultures, while its healing influence on mental health is also widely acknowledged.

Personally, I know that when I spend time in more wild and less built up environments I can experience a true sense of peace unreachable elsewhere, and any loneliness tends to subside. Having said this, I also think nature can be appreciated in smaller pockets, from urban parks to a cactus on the windowsill!

For a long time, sustainability has been very important to me and has become the core of most of my choices, including my career path, consumer habits and artistic exploration. Sustainability and nature are inherently intertwined. In order for us to develop sustainable solutions, our strategy must find its routes in the successful natural frameworks that took millions of years to evolve. In turn, the ongoing success of nature (ourselves included, of course) depends on our success in creating sustainable ways of living.

I wholeheartedly embrace the challenge!