On Thursday, October 8th, 2009, Stroud™ Water Research Center, hosted its 7th annual fundraising gala, The Water’s Edge at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.
The featured speaker was Ian Hutton, an island naturalist and conservationist, researcher, ecotourism pioneer, brilliant photographer, and the keeper of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lord Howe Island in the South Pacific.
His presentation, The Pristine Lord Howe Island: Conservation Management at its Best, focused on the unique flora and fauna of the island, how the island is addressing environmental issues including the challenge of protecting its freshwater supply, and the conservation acts that have enabled the island to remain much the same as it has for thousands of years.
“I see my role, and that of the island, to make people aware that the earth needs a steward,” said Hutton.
An accomplished photographer, Hutton’s work has been published in major newspapers and magazines worldwide, including The New York Times, Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne Age. He has produced ten books on Lord Howe Island, the most recent of which is a 264-page photo/art book celebrating the World Heritage values of the island and stimulating interest in conservation in general.
