21 April 2021
After a long winter, we’re finally able to spend more time outdoors again, discover a new adventure and connect with nature. The value of our green spaces has never been higher as we recover from the effects of the pandemic. This John Muir Day, Graham Watson, John Muir Award Manager for Cumbria, celebrates six Cumbrians who are looking after these special places and working for a better future. Graham asks: “Who are our modern day motivators?”.
Over the years, many people have been inspired by John Muir and his writing to enjoy and take action for wild places across the globe. We can learn from the past to help make a better future.
For this year's #JohnMuirDay - centred on Muir's birthday 21 April - we are asking you to think about and celebrate those who inspire and motivate us today. In working to tackle our current nature and climate crises anyone and everyone can make a difference. Muir believed we “must become ‘active conservationists’, as campaigners, as practical project workers, as scientists, as artists, as writers”, and he could equally well have added ‘…grandmothers, teachers, celebrities, youth workers, volunteers, farmers, outdoor guides and many more...’. The Lake District is a source of inspiration so it’s only natural that Cumbria has produced its fair share of these people.
So here goes, 6 Cumbrians who inspire me to take action for nature.
I’ll start with people who do things. Here’s a wonderful film made by Somewhere Nowhere of Richard Maxwell, Howside Farm talking about the changes his farming has been through in Ennerdale and reflecting on how farmers must understand the land and what we must ask of them – to produce food in the best possible way for us and for the land.
A call to conservationists I’ve heard a couple of times over the last year or so is to ‘make friends with a farmer’. Danny Teasdale is very much a ‘doer’ and I don’t know how I could classify him – he runs a garage but despite that he’s set up Ullswater Catchment CIC which is helping farmers bring back hedges, wetlands, native trees and re-wiggle rivers on their farms. In this short film set in Matterdale Danny talks about the local people they work with, tree planting, natural flood management and regenerative grazing.
Photo credit: Ullswater Catchment Management
‘Doers’ working on the ground are almost by definition local but we need to think global as well and one Cumbrian who is inspirational in linking local action whilst helping us think globally is Amy Bray, founder of the charity Another Way at the young age of 16 in 2019. Amy’s been involved in organising local tree planting to promoting zero waste living, presenting an environmental message in schools to being a founding member of the Lake District Foundation youth panel. Her influence has cut across age bands and ranged from hands on practical work to national and global campaigning.
Photo credit: Another Way
Cumbria and the Lake District of course is known as a place for outdoor people with lakes and mountains and adventures to be had so here’s some inspirational Cumbrians whose activism is rooted in the outdoors. Kate Rawles, advocate for ‘Adventure Plus’ - “Adventurous journeys, for their own sake, and as a powerful and engaging communication medium – raising awareness and inspiring action on our most urgent environmental challenges.” I think her Life Cycle journey, on a bamboo bike she built herself, down the length of South America is probably the most ambitious journey used to achieve a John Muir Award in its 25 year history!
Photo credit: Kate Rawles
With the crises of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss we need new ways of living, ‘new stories’ if you like. Taking Kate Rawles’ advice “you need to tackle the climate crisis in the way that makes you feel most alive” Rosie Watson ran, literally. She set off on The New Story Run in August 2018, running mostly-solo & unsupported, from her home in Cumbria across Europe and Asia, searching for and telling stories of better ways of living, working and meeting our needs in the climate crisis. You can read those ‘new stories’ and you can hear more about how she’s getting on in this short film. Rosie has also written about the outdoor community and sustainability for Adventure Uncovered.
Photo credit: Rosie Watson
It’s a fact that work to repair and restore our beloved mountains and fells needs money and I’m inspired every year by those who take on challenges to raise funds for this work. It may be a first 10 kilometre run or a monster multi-day epic but always it’s a challenge for that person. So my last inspirational Cumbrian, Ross Brannigan, represents many others as well. Ross is setting out on a 1001km bike ride from Cumbria to the far Northwest of Scotland in support of the John Muir Trust’s ‘Journey for Wildness’.
Photo credit: Ross Brannigan
This is a personal list of people who inspire me - young and old, farmers, doers, activists and fundraisers. Now tell us – who inspires you to take action for nature? Share stories of your modern day motivators on social media to celebrate John Muir Day (21 April)! Tag #JohnMuirDay #LakeDistrict #Cumbria
Guest Blogger
John Muir Award Manager, Cumbria
