WILD

A Giant for Wilderness Moves On….

Arne Ness left us yesterday. This Norwegian eco-philosopher , aged 96 (1912-2009), was a singular asset to wilderness awareness and thinking internationally. Flying in the face of politically-correct emphasis on people and social causes, he coined the term “deep ecology” to assert that Earth and its wildness had as much right to exist as do people. We worked together for a few years as WILD planned the 5th World Wilderness Congress in Norway (Tromso, 1993). His unapologetic, firm, but respectful position in support of “wild nature” made a big impression on me. He was also a mountaineer of note, from hill walking weekly to leading two expeditions that summitted the 7,700 meter Tirich Mir in Pakistan, in the 1950s. Go well, Arne…you will be celebrated as much as you will be missed!

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