Hughes elected to global conservation council
Thursday 13th September 2012
Jonathan Hughes cpt Scottish Wildlife Trust
The Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Director of Conservation Jonathan Hughes has been elected to the Council of the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organisation after securing enough votes from IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) members across the world.
Jonathan, who is based in Edinburgh, ran a successful campaign to become an IUCN Councillor and will now be well placed to help shape the future of nature conservation on a global stage.
Jonathan Hughes is an inspired practitioner and ambassador for conservation in the 21st Century
The IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network. Founded in 1948 - The Wildlife Trusts were a founder - it is a membership body with more than 1,000 government and non-government member organisations who vote for Councillors, alongside almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries across the world.
The IUCN World Conservation Congress continues until 15 September on the island of Jeju, South Korea.
Jonathan Hughes said:
“My priority will be getting all the great ideas out there in the conservation movement turned into action on the ground. By being on the IUCN Council and continuing my work with the Scottish Wildlife Trust and The Wildlife Trusts movement I can take an holistic approach to conservation, working at the local, national and international levels.
“The restoration of nature should be a central part of global economic and social decision-making - we need to get listened to by finance ministers and prime ministers, not just environment ministers. We also need to scale up our efforts by protecting wildlife on a landscape scale, as well as bringing nature back into the heart of our towns and cities.”
Scottish Wildlife Trust Chief Executive Simon Milne, said:
“Jonathan Hughes is an inspired practitioner and ambassador for conservation in the 21st Century. He is now in the perfect position to help champion the restoration of ecosystem health on a global scale and to ensure that our natural life support systems are protected for current and future generations.”
Notes to Editors
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global organisation, providing an influential and authoritative voice for nature conservation.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust is the largest voluntary body working for all the wildlife of Scotland, representing well over 30,000 active members who care for wildlife and the environment. The Scottish Wildlife Trust seeks to raise public awareness of threatened habitats and species and manages over 120 reserves Scotland-wide.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust receives financial assistance and support from a range of organisations, funders and individuals including Scottish Natural Heritage and People’s Postcode Lottery.
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