Jonathan Franzen receives EuroNatur Award 2015

Jonathan Franzen

On 14th October, Jonathan Franzen will receive the 2015 EuroNatur Award for his active involvement in the protection of birds.

© (c) Shelby Graham

Active Commitment to the Protection of Wild Birds

Press Release, 7th October 2015

 
Radolfzell.  In a week, on 14th October, Jonathan Franzen, probably the most renowned US American author today, will receive the 2015 EuroNatur Award. “We are honoured to offer the award to Jonathan Franzen for his active involvement in the protection of birds” says Christel Schroeder, President of the Nature Conservation Foundation EuroNatur.
 
The future bearer of this award has contributed significantly to the establishment of a hunting moratorium in the whole of Albania. This country is one of the main hotspots of bird hunting in the Balkans, where every year more than 2 million migrating birds are shot down along the Adriatic Flyway.

In the spring of 2012 Jonathan Franzen accompanied EuroNatur for two weeks on a research trip to all the most important resting places along the Eastern Adriatic coast, from the Karavasta national Park in Albania to the Neretva-Delta in Croatia. He talked to hunters, observed illegal practices and shed light on the background of bird hunting in the Balkans.

His contribution to the magazine National Geographic “Last Song for Migrating Birds” showed impressively how bird hunting on the Eastern Adriatic coast counteracts the hard work and expense involved in programmes for their protection in the breeding areas of migrating birds. Albanian nature conservationists in cooperation with European-wide initiatives had prepared the ground for reform. But it was his article which was distributed to the appropriate ministries in Albania that has crucially influenced the debate in the country.

As Christel Schroeder points out “Jonathan Franzen was not willing to accept this senseless slaughter and his voice was heard. With his rousing appeal he has reached the government and members of parliament in a country which previously had an established and horrifying practice of hunting.”



Background information:
 

  • EuroNatur Award: Previous Award winners have among others been Prince Charles, Michail Gorbatschow, Dr. Ernst Paul Dörfler, Prof. Dr. Klaus Töpfer, Luc Hoffmann und Dr. Hans Bibelriether. The EuroNatur Award is not endowed with a prize. The award honours outstanding efforts for nature conservation. The EuroNatur-Award for 2015 will be presented to Jonathan Franzen on 14th October 2015 on the island of Mainau on Lake Constance.
  • About Jonathan Franzen: probably the most eminent contemporary US American writer. His novels, above all “Freedom” and “The Corrections”, are famous world-wide. September 2015 has seen the publication of his latest novel entitled “Purity” published by FSG (in German „Unschuld“, in Rowohlt Verlag). Jonathan Franzen is a writer who tackles the central themes of contemporary life in depth and these themes include environmental pollution, the destruction of nature and loss of species diversity.
  • More about the work of EuroNatur to prevent bird hunting in the Balkans



Enquiries to:

EuroNatur, Konstanzer Straße 22, 78315 Radolfzell, Tel.: 07732 - 92 72 10, Fax: 07732 - 92 72 22, info@euronatur.org, www.euronatur.org, Press Contact: Katharina Grund, Contact: Gabriel Schwaderer
 

How you can help

Donation

Future needs nature. EuroNatur cares for it. Please use your possibilities to help. With your donation you will make an effective contribution to a more livable environment.

Sustaining membership

EuroNatur focuses on long-term nature conservation projects instead of quick fixes. With your regular donations, you give us the planning security we need.

News

Ongoing airport construction in Albania causes extreme concern at Bern Convention

++ Bern Convention urges Albanian government to stop construction works in protected Vjosa/Narta area – again ++ Planned Vlora airport near Narta…

The entire Aoos River in Greece and its tributaries are now protected

An important step was taken today by the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy with the designation of part of the catchment area of the…

Milestone for the protection of European forests on EU-level

The EU forest monitoring law emphasises common standards for the systematic collection of data which aligns with EuroNatur’s stance advocating for the…

Still plenty of room for improvement in the Western Balkans

There is still a long way to go for all the countries of the Western Balkans if they want to become members of the EU - especially when it comes to…

EuroNatur Award 2023: Signal of support for the protection of rivers in Poland

++ Polish Save the Rivers Coalition has received the EuroNatur Award ++ Odra expansion must be halted ++ Optimism for nature conservation in Poland…

EuroNatur Award for Polish Save the Rivers Coalition

++ This year's EuroNatur Award goes to Koalicja Ratujmy Rzeki ++ The award is also a political signal for more nature conservation in Poland and all…

Illegal garbage dumps cause conflicts with bears

Illegal garbage dumps near settlements are not only a problem for the soil and the environment. They often attract brown bears. Being omnivores, the…

Urgent call to halt implementation of Odra Revitalisation Act

Construction will have devastating consequences for the Odra and surrounding areas. 51 projects aim to engineer the rivers, create artificial…

Skavica mega dam: Albanian court to scrutinise special law for U.S. contractor Bechtel

++ Constitutional complaint filed by NGOs accepted for trial ++ First milestone in fight against one of Europe’s largest reservoirs ++ Thousands of…