Inspirational People
Who could be your inspirational person?
Your chosen inspirational person should be someone who motivates and encourages others to care for wild places through their actions, words, and achievements. Inspirational people can come from any walk of life and could be just like you. The inspirational person can be someone making a difference to wild places locally, past or present.
To help with choosing an inspirational person here are a few questions to consider:
- What are they doing or have done to conserve and protect wild places?
- Think about how their actions impact wild places. How do their actions benefit wild places? How do their action benefit people?
- What challenges does their wild place face. How have they identified these issues? Do their actions encourage the restoration of wild places and enable natural processes to thrive?
- What motivates them? Is it a love for wild places, a sense of responsibility, an awareness of the issues wild places face, or something else?
- Why do they inspire you to protect and conserve wild places?
Here are some of our inspirational people:
John Muir - John Muir was passionate about wild places. He explored them, wrote about them and campaigned to protect them. Muir believed in protecting wild places – for their own sake, and for the wellbeing of people and wildlife.
Read more about John Muir in our Resource Guide.
Local community person – Inspirational people are all around! Is there someone in your local community who inspires you to conserve and protect wild places? Perhaps someone who volunteers time to litter pick or do other conservation activities. Is there someone who teaches others about wild places or has started a community project that benefits wild places?
Isaac Johnston – Isaac is the Thirlmere Resilience Project Officer with the John Muir Trust and a passionate conservationist. He enjoys leading volunteer groups in wild places, carrying out important conservation tasks such as woodland creation. His work includes species monitoring, along with other conservation efforts to care for the land. Isaac is dedicated to conserving wild places across the UK, ensuring they are protected for future generations to enjoy.
Robin Wall Kimmerer – Robin Wall Kimmerer is an author, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. Her work emphasizes reciprocity and respect for the natural world and how people and wild places are interconnected.
Haroon Mota - Haroon Mota is founder of the Muslim Hikers and Active Inclusion Network. A marathon runner and mountaineer, Haroon actively championing diversity and inclusion in the wild places, promoting physical fitness and wellbeing amongst South Asian communities.
Dara McAnulty – Dara writes about his experience in wild places and is an activist from Northern Ireland, passionate about wildlife and conservation. He published his first book, Diary of a Young Naturalist, which won the 2020 Wainwright Prize for nature writing. Dara’s advocacy brings awareness to the healing power of Wild Places, especially for neurodivergent individuals.
Jane Goodall – Renowned for her groundbreaking work with chimpanzees in Tanzania, Dr. Goodall is also a passionate advocate for environmental conservation and youth engagement. Through her Roots & Shoots program, she empowers young people to take action to protect wild places and their inhabitants.
Chelsea Murphy – Is a mother of two on a mission to create a better, more inclusive outdoor culture for her mixed children. She advocates that wild places are for all and creates courageous content to empower people from all backgrounds to visit, enjoy and care for wild places.
David Attenborough – A beloved British broadcaster and natural historian, Sir David Attenborough has spent decades educating the world about wild places. His documentaries highlight the beauty and fragility of the natural world, the wonder of natural processes, inspiring global awareness of biodiversity and conservation.