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Svalbard’s Global Seed Vault back in the News

Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Svalbard Global Seed Vault

The Global Seed Vault, located the top of the world, on the island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, is back in the news – for the first time seeds are being taken from the bank for one of the reasons it was created – to supply and safeguard seeds in a time of war. Al Jazeera reports that “as Aleppo gene back built to safeguard global food supplies is at risk, researchers request frozen seeds from Svalbard”. Although Aleppo lies within the famous “fertile crescent“, it’s also in the thick of the Syrian war. Svalbard, despite some political shenanigans between Norway and Russia, remains calm, with more polar bears than people, and very cold.
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Tearsheet: Conserving the Arctic: A Stronger Role for Europe

Conserving the Arctic
Iceberg cover image by Dave Walsh for Conserving the Arctic conference

On 4th of March 2015, one of my Arctic iceberg photographs was used by Greenpeace and independent meeting organiser QED (qed.eu) for EU Arctic Dialogue “Conserving the Arctic – A stronger role for Europe?” near Waterloo, outside Brussels, Belgium. The event was officially endorsed by the Finnish Foreign Ministry, and hosted by Mr Jean-Marie Delwart, one of the signatories of the International Declaration on the Future of the Arctic, in his Château d’Argenteuil, near Brussels. High-level guests (including European decision-makers, Ministers, business and civil society leaders and top-level signatories of the International Declaration on the Future of the Arctic) attended during an afternoon of speeches and conversations, followed by a cocktail and a dinner.

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Bruxelles est Charlie: photos

Bruxelles est Charlie
Bruxelles est Charlie

On Sunday, January 11th 2015, I joined 20,000 other residents of Brussels of all creed, origin and colour for a peaceful march in the name of tolerance and freedom of speech, following the appalling carnage carried out in Paris – starting with the Charlie Hebdo killings. Here’s the images.
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Protecting the Southern Ocean

Iceberg, Antarctica
Iceberg, Antarctica

As I write, the dozens of delegates attending this years meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) should be sound asleep in their Hobart hotel rooms, if they’re not out tasting Tasmania’s finest wines in the the Salamanca neighbourhood.

Until the end of the month, the officials from 24 countries – plus the EU – will consider a range of issues, the most notorious of which is the long-delayed establishment of marine reserves in the Ross Sea and in the waters of East Antarctica. I can’t tell you what’s happening at the meeting so far, as CCAMLR meets behind closed doors. The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition is the only non-governmental organisation representing civil society at CCAMLR – but my colleagues in the room are prohibited from reporting on proceedings until they have formally ended. We will know if the news is good or bad by the end of October.

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The Slaney and the World

The Crossabeg Book: The Slaney and the World by Dave Walsh

For all the travelling I’ve done, it’s always good to come home. I am writing these words 50m away from the River Slaney, in the south east of Ireland, with a a copy of Crossabeg: The Parish and its People (Vol 2) waiting for me. And I’m honoured to be featured in the book. When my neighbour here, Alice Devine, one of the team who put the book together asked me to write something about my travels, I thought the best way was to show how my upbringing in Crossabeg provided the foundation for everything that followed – including my trips to the Arctic and the Antarctica. For those of you not able to get your hands on the book, here’s what I wrote:

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Camping in Bear Country: Slough Creek Trail, Yellowstone

Slough Creek Trail, Yellowstone National Park,
Slough Creek Trail, on the way to backcountry camping, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. This photograph was taken on a hot, hot day at the end of July. It’s usually better to hike earlier in the day, but the relative flatness of the trail, plus some logistics we had to take care of meant a late start for our first attempt at backcountry camping. The trail heads through beautiful natural meadows, and passes distant fly fishermen focussed on persuading curious trout to come ashore.
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Ms. Moose and the Porcupine Quills

Moose encounter, Glen Creek, Yellowstone National Park

We almost bumped into Ms. Moose on the way back from Electric Peak – she, and her offspring, Junior, were foraging on the banks of Glen Creek. We came within a few metres of them before stopping still, and backing off a bit. The two moose took off out of the water, and onto the trail ahead of us. We gave them a few minutes to get ahead, then moved slowly along the path. After 50m or so, we spotted Ms. M at the other side of the narrow creek, alone. Junior was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly she took off, and made to head us off on the path. We retreated, and ended up the path, farther back then when we had first encountered. She followed us, quickly but not aggressively, with a sense of purpose and authority, and didn’t get too close. When we reached open country, she escorted us no further. After a short pause, she made a quick turn and galloped away down the path. After a few minutes, we followed, even more tentatively than before. Neither Ms. Moose or Junior were anywhere to be seen; the path then opened out into flat, sagebrush country, with willow bushes on the right. We kept a close watch, but we didn’t see the moose family again.

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Keeping Bears at Bay in Yellowstone

Avoiding bears in Yellowstone

Morning light illuminates how we keep our food and backpacks away away from the rain and the bears – a horizontal pole, high above the ground, with backpacks and food strung high above the claws of any curious bear. Us humans, however, sleep in the tent, on the ground with cans of pepper spray for company. Beside the Gardner River, on the Sportsmans Lake Trail, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
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The Breakfast Bear

Black Bear, Blacktail Plateau Drive
Black bear, on the Blacktail Plateau Drive in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA. We came across this black bear munching on Bearberry Honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata – aka twinberry) early one morning. Although we sat there for several minutes watching the bear consume breakfast, we were completely ignored until it decided that it eaten all it could reach, and crossed the dirt road, giving us one straight glare before heading into the bushes in search of seconds.

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Arctic Encore! at the Copper House Gallery

Dijmhna Sund, Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden

One of my pictures – showing a lead through some sea ice, near 79 Glacier in north eastern Greenland, is currently featured in an exhibition at Dublin’s Copper House Gallery:

The Copper House Gallery presents Encore!, a winter exhibition featuring the best of contemporary Irish fine art, photography and illustration. We will be showing an eclectic range of originals and limited edition prints from our gallery and invited artists. A great gift for loved ones, a treasure for life.Read More »Arctic Encore! at the Copper House Gallery

Arctic Nocturne: An evening in solidarity with the Greenpeace Arctic 30

Dave Walsh speaking at Arctic Nocturne event in solidarity with Greenpeace Arctic 30
Dave Walsh speaking at Arctic Nocturne

UPDATE: Pictures from the event now in the slideshow and gallery below.

Also: Neil Hamilton and I were interviewed by journalist Alexandre Mineev for Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, about the Greenpeace Arctic 30 situation.

 

On October 17th, for the last evening of my photo exhibition, The Arctic: Another World? we’re having a special event in solidarity with the 30 Greenpeace Arctic activists currently being held in detention in Russia, at Brussels’ beautiful Bibliothèque de Laeken, hosted by Greenpeace Belgium and the Ville de Bruxelles.
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William T Vollman, the Vikings, Greenland and Me

William T Vollman La Tunique de Glace photographer Dave Walsh

Last week, I had coffee with Belgian journalist, Camille Goret, at his office in central Brussels. So central is Camille’s office, it’s practically in the same building, the city’s Gare de Central. I was there to pontificate about my forthcoming photography exhibition, hosted by the Ville de Bruxelles and Greenpeace Belgium, but in the course of things, Camille mentioned that he’d seen on my photographs, the Sleeping Dragon, on the cover of a book.
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The Arctic: Another World? opens to public in Brussels

Dave Walsh The Arctic: Another World?

Update: To close the exhibition, we had Arctic Nocturne: An evening of solidarity for the Arctic 30

On Monday September 30, 2013, The Arctic: Another World?, a solo exhibition of my polar photography, will open at the Bibliothèque de Laeken in Brussels, presented by Greenpeace Belgium and the Ville de Bruxelles. Running until October 18, the exhibition is open to the public – so please come along if you’re in town. There’s a vernissage, as they say here – an official opening, at 11am on October 1st, and all are welcome.
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