As a boy you could often find me lurking in the bushes, in search for ladybugs, digging up earthworms or catching locusts. One tool I always brought along was a magnifying glass, which enabled me to look a little better at this mysterious world full of small creatures. Growing up, the world became a lot bigger, but mentally I still tend to use this magnifying glass. Now I see a welfare state, like the Netherlands, on one side of the world, in which I have to search really hard to find other wildlife than some birds, insects and rodents. While on the other side of the world I see an abundance of natural beauty, but a lack of welfare. What drives me is to find a middle way between these worlds, in which people and nature can coexist and thrive. During our upcoming trip through southern Africa I hope to come across organizations and rural communities that are like-minded, so that we can build on a balanced future, for the next generations of children, cubs, larvae and chicks.

Lars Vermeer also has Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Sciences and a Master’s Degree in Forest and Nature Conservation.