Nature

Iconic Nature

“There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness that can recall its melancholy and its charm”.

Theodore Roosevelt

Western Australia’s Hidden Ecosystem Wonders

Western Australia is replete with natural wonders (ecosystem jewels) and has some of the most unique ecosystem wonders on the planet, many of which are hidden, e.g.

The Southwest’s Ecoregion that is of global and national significance and is Australia’s only global hotspot;
In the Kimberley’s vast region with its majestic landscapes, surreal colours, mammoth scale, layered geological and cultural complexities, one of the truly last remaining wilderness areas on earth, there are many wonders not known to city dwellers
The Great Western Woodlands – 16 million hectares in size and nowhere else on the planet do so many different tall trees grow in such a climate.
The Gondwana Link – the restoration of ecological connectivity from the woodlands of the Goldfields, through the Fitzgerald River and Stirling Range National Parks to the karri and jarrah forests of the south-west’ a distance of over 1000 kms
The new species of dolphin, just discovered in the waters of Western Australia
Many more which are also the focus of this project.

Iconic photographs of such ecosystem wonders, when captured by professional photographers, illustrated in a single documentary, in fine art exhibitions, and using the distributive power of the internet, reveal the landscapes, seascapes, habitats and creatures, to people and communities who might never be fortunate enough to witness them at first hand.

Conservation photography is more than nature and “tourist shot “photography. Conservation photography showcases images of both the beauty of our planet and its vanishing spirit. It represents a special “pictorial voice”, to engender greater conservation understanding and effort. It embraces empathy to create photographs that inspire and move people to consider and care more. Conservation photography is born out of purpose and concern for respecting and sustaining the diversity and intrinsic value of the natural world.

When images are born out of this concern for the conservation, or loss, of our natural world, they convey an intrinsic emotional and even spiritual weight that is frequently projected into those who view them. Conservation photography puts the image “to work”, and is the result of photographic talent combined with environmental understanding. A significant underpinning objective of the project is increased enlightment of what sustainability is about.

To more fully understand and better appreciate the concept of sustainability, the gap between scientific knowledge and corporate and public behaviour, must be bridged and strengthened. Raw scientific data and accompanying text in isolation, no longer command attention. Today, photographs that engage hearts as well as minds, provide a powerful medium for connecting corporate, government and concerned citizens, to conservation.

Inspiring, conservation photography is a prevailing force for awakening a new knowing of nature, especially when such photography is paired with the collaboration of creative thinkers, committed individuals, corporations, scientists and policy makers.

From the early achievements of Ansel Adams in capturing the imagination of the American public with his well-crafted images of wild America, to the brilliantly executed images of National Geographer photographer, Nick Nichols in the Congo that has recently led to an entirely new protected area in Gabon, conservation photography has a well established record.

The power of conservation photography in Australia was dramatically exemplified, by the late Peter Dombrovski’s images of Tasmania’s wilderness. The delightful qualities in Dombrovski’s photographs came from his passion to convey a profound sense of place for an area he loved, rather than only through the flawless technical qualities of his work. He invested his images with “soul. After his death people remarked that is was not that he photographed in conservation areas, but that conservation areas were created where he photographed. Dombrovski’s work was very instrumental in forging significant changes in the minds and hearts of many Australians.

The future of conservation in Western Australia will rely on private sector leaders engaging conservationists and government in strategic, forward-looking partnerships. The use of conservation photography in the context of environmental stewardship can assist create and strengthen these partnerships.

The project documents and illustrates many of the State’s hidden ecosystem wonders. It is also a beacon for the more important environmental challenges facing Western Australians. The project has the overriding goal to create new windows into the magnificent natural world of Western Australia and transform how we value, and care for this special, fragile biodiversity and ecology.

The project introduces West Australians to Western Australia.

Project Proponents

The project proponents are Nick Melidonis M. Photog. AIPP, and Denis Glennon AO, AIPP.

Nick is a Perth-based, professional photographer and is one of Australia’s most awarded and respected landscape, travel, nature and fine art photographers. He is the recipient of the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers (AIPP) “Australian Professional Landscape Photographer of the Year” award on three occasions, the most recent being in 2008. His work embraces commissions for national and international entities and he was recognized as the 2006 runner-up in the categories of portraiture, illustrative and self commissioned work for the World Institute of Photographic Masters.

Denis Glennon is also Perth-based and spent over twenty years in the Australian environment management sector, and as advisor to state and national government bodies. He has been a Member of the Western Australian EPA for over eleven years. He was awarded the Order of Australia (AO), in 2000, for his contribution to pollution prevention and successful environmental management, across Australia. His current photography work focuses on Australia’s rich landscapes, wildlife and nature conservation.

Tony Barrass, also Perth-based, is an award-winning feature writer and reporter. He has been a senior journalist and editor with The Australian, The West Australian, and various publications around the country. He plays a pivotal role in the project, to construct a continuity of theme and writing style and oversee and manage the recruitment of regionally-based writers for the various stories that will emerge. Suitably qualified subject matter specialists will also be consulted to ensure technical integrity.

Project Partners

The project is being advanced in a partnership and discussions are in train with a number of stakeholders, including the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF – Australia), the Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), some private sector entities and subject area specialists.

This partnership approach seeks to (i) use the best available scientific information to address issues transparently, (ii) dialog and avoid unnecessary confrontation, (iii) strive to build partnerships with the State & Local governments, and local communities (iv) ensure the project’s integrity and effectiveness, (v) have a very strong focus on Western Australian communities actively engaged in conservation and (v) portray a number of stories of individual efforts in conservation in regional and outback areas.

Project Outcomes

The principal outcomes from the project are:

A mobile, fine art photographic exhibition, particularly suitable for display in regional centres, of the finest iconic images and stories captured during the project.
Dynamic and informative dedicated pages on this web site that will continually be updated as the project progresses, and be freely accessible to the public.
The granting to WWF a free-of-cost licence to utilize the images, video and text emanating from the project for use in their on-going work.
A DVD to master stage, having a clear focus on educational content for both adults and high schools children, containing final images, voice over, evocative music and merged relevant background sounds recorded in the field at the time of photography, having a clear focus on educational content
The introduction of a photographic stream based on sustainability, to the Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF), analogous to the recently introduced writers’ stream.
The catalyst for a number of on-going Australian workshops and pphotographic exhibitions featuring the best international conservation photographers, National Geographic specialist photographers, and leading speakers in sustainability, to stimulate greater understanding of WA’s unique ecosystem wonders.
The production of a small of number of Limited Edition Large Scale Prints suitable for usage in the promotion of sustainability by sponsors or their nominees
The option of a large-format book of the highest possible quality incorporating the images, words and people behind each story documented

The fine art prints of iconic images are designed to be suitable for exhibition in prominent city, and in non-metropolitan, locations, e.g. North West towns, Goldfields, South West cities/towns, as well as being displayed in the Department of Conservation (DEC) visitor centres across the State.

This project has been designed to, produce a large body of iconic photographic work that captures the wild beauty of Western Australia, ecosystems conservation initiatives that are taking place, and the people and communities involved in these initiatives.

The project is not a “coffee table book” showing “some of WA’s national parks”.

This project’s objectives are very different to the traditional ”coffee table book” approach. It is more comprehensive in size and focus, than any attempted to date. It is envisaged the project’s ‘messages’ and images will endure in the minds of Western Australians, and be an inspiration for some time into the future. It will seek to leave its own positive legacy.

The images will include many which may be used for promotion, in both national and international arenas, whilst at the same time, raise knowledge of endangered ecological treasures across much of Western Australia.

Our approach is that of photographic storytellers, drawing on characters, communities and persons across the State, telling a larger tale of the diverse hidden ecosystem wonders.

The project does not shy away from giving prominence to conservation imperatives facing Western Australians. Should it fails in this regard, its credibility will suffer.

The project outcomes are designed to be literary and photographic portraits of how partnerships and leadership in sustainability can maintain the magical splendor, enduring beauty, and ecological fragility of Western Australia,

An overriding, very important, objective, is to maximize the potential of the images and stories, to enhance the education of children in conservation, as a generation that understands and knows about the natural wonders of Western Australia can strive to protect it.