Wildscreen
Encyclopedia
Wildscreen is an educational charity based in Bristol, England, working globally to promote the conservation
of nature, and the public’s appreciation of biodiversity
, through wildlife imagery.
The charity was founded in December 1987 from a trust
which had operated since 1982. The founders included Sir Peter Scott
and Christopher Parsons
OBE, former Head of the BBC Natural History Unit
, with the initial aim of encouraging and applauding excellence in the production of natural history
films and television. At first, it worked mainly by hosting the Wildscreen Festival
, at which wildlife film-makers and broadcasters from different parts of the world met to view the latest productions, discuss issues of mutual interest, exchange ideas and compete for the Panda Awards.
Over the years since then the festival has significantly expanded its scale and content and the charity has also enlarged its remit, including by launching ARKive
, a centralised collection of films and photographs of endangered species which can be accessed free of charge through an award-winning website.
Another initiative is WildFilmHistory, a wildlife film-making archive that was launched in 2007 with a mission to locate and conserve films, photographs, publications and memories related to the history and development of the wildlife film industry worldwide. Other activities include WildPhotos, a nature photography symposium and Wildscreen Outreach, a touring programme of film screenings and masterclasses to reach, engage and inspire new audiences. Programmes in developing countries, where pressure on the environment is most critical, are considered a key priority.
Wildscreen is a registered charity under English law, governed by a board of 17 independent trustees, chaired by Dick Emery OBE, former CEO of UKTV
. As of 2010, it employed 40 staff in full- and part-time positions.
Wildscreen USA, based in Washington DC, exists to promote ARKive in the USA.
The chief executive is Richard Edwards, appointed in March 2011 to succeed Harriet Nimmo, who stepped down in January that year after 13 years with the charity, seven in the CEO role. Despite moving to South Africa, Nimmo retains a connection with the charity, in the advisory role of Wildscreen Strategic Director.
For the period April 2009 – March 2010 (which was a non-festival year for the biennial Wildscreen Festival), the charity's income was declared as £1,409,722, with expenditure of £1,417,362.
Wildscreen is a founder member of the Bristol Natural History Consortium
, set up in 2004.
Conservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
of nature, and the public’s appreciation of biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
, through wildlife imagery.
The charity was founded in December 1987 from a trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
which had operated since 1982. The founders included Sir Peter Scott
Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, CH, CBE, DSC and Bar, MID, FRS, FZS, was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer and sportsman....
and Christopher Parsons
Christopher Parsons
Christopher Eugene Parsons OBE was an award-winning English wildlife film-maker and the executive producer of David Attenborough's Life on Earth, widely regarded as one of the finest and most influential of nature documentaries...
OBE, former Head of the BBC Natural History Unit
BBC Natural History Unit
The BBC Natural History Unit is a department of the BBC dedicated to making television and radio programmes with a natural history or wildlife theme, especially nature documentaries...
, with the initial aim of encouraging and applauding excellence in the production of natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
films and television. At first, it worked mainly by hosting the Wildscreen Festival
Wildscreen Festival
The Wildscreen Festival, an initiative of The Wildscreen Trust is an international festival of film, television and digital media inspired by nature and natural places...
, at which wildlife film-makers and broadcasters from different parts of the world met to view the latest productions, discuss issues of mutual interest, exchange ideas and compete for the Panda Awards.
Over the years since then the festival has significantly expanded its scale and content and the charity has also enlarged its remit, including by launching ARKive
ARKive
ARKive is a global initiative with the mission of "promoting the conservation of the world's threatened species, through the power of wildlife imagery", which it does by locating and gathering films, photographs and audio recordings of the world's species into a centralised digital archive. Its...
, a centralised collection of films and photographs of endangered species which can be accessed free of charge through an award-winning website.
Another initiative is WildFilmHistory, a wildlife film-making archive that was launched in 2007 with a mission to locate and conserve films, photographs, publications and memories related to the history and development of the wildlife film industry worldwide. Other activities include WildPhotos, a nature photography symposium and Wildscreen Outreach, a touring programme of film screenings and masterclasses to reach, engage and inspire new audiences. Programmes in developing countries, where pressure on the environment is most critical, are considered a key priority.
Wildscreen is a registered charity under English law, governed by a board of 17 independent trustees, chaired by Dick Emery OBE, former CEO of UKTV
UKTV
UKTV is a digital cable and satellite television network, formed through a joint venture between BBC Worldwide, a commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and Scripps Networks Interactive, spun off from The E.W Scripps Company in 2008...
. As of 2010, it employed 40 staff in full- and part-time positions.
Wildscreen USA, based in Washington DC, exists to promote ARKive in the USA.
The chief executive is Richard Edwards, appointed in March 2011 to succeed Harriet Nimmo, who stepped down in January that year after 13 years with the charity, seven in the CEO role. Despite moving to South Africa, Nimmo retains a connection with the charity, in the advisory role of Wildscreen Strategic Director.
For the period April 2009 – March 2010 (which was a non-festival year for the biennial Wildscreen Festival), the charity's income was declared as £1,409,722, with expenditure of £1,417,362.
Wildscreen is a founder member of the Bristol Natural History Consortium
Bristol Festival of Nature
The Bristol Festival of Nature is a 2 day long free event held in June in Bristol, England, United Kingdom, featuring hundreds of events, including lectures, tours and film screenings on subjects of science, natural history and the environment....
, set up in 2004.
Patrons
- HRH Prince PhilipPrince Philip, Duke of EdinburghPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
, Duke of Edinburgh - David AttenboroughDavid AttenboroughSir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
, Naturalist, Broadcaster - Dr Sylvia EarleSylvia EarleSylvia Alice Earle is an American oceanographer. She was chief scientist for the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from 1990–1992. She is a National Geographic explorer-in-residence, sometimes called "Her Deepness" or "The Sturgeon General".-Education and career:Earle received a...
, Oceanographer - Preofessor E. O. WilsonE. O. WilsonEdward Osborne Wilson is an American biologist, researcher , theorist , naturalist and author. His biological specialty is myrmecology, the study of ants....
, Harvard University - Dr George McGavinGeorge McGavinGeorge C. McGavin FLS FRGS is an entomologist, author, academic, television presenter and explorer.He is Honorary Research Associate at Oxford University Museum of Natural History and The Department of Zoology of Oxford University, where he lists his interests as "Terrestrial arthropods especially...
, Oxford University