Gaia Foundation

"The idea of creating a ‘Gaia’ Foundation emerged in the early 1980’s, from Liz Hosken, Edward Posey and a group of ecological pioneers from the South, including Prof. Wangari Maathai (Kenya) and José Lutzenberger (Brazil). Their common vision was to demonstrate how human development and wellbeing are derived from the health and understanding of the living planet (Gaia), and indeed the Universe itself, of which we are an inextricable part.

"The Gaia Foundation was founded as a registered Charity (no.327412), with Sir Laurens van der Post as its first patron, and later Thomas Berry...

"... Gaia joined with GRAIN to launch its Local Biodiversity and Global Trade programme. The programme played a formative role in the African Biodiversity Network (ABN) and supported micro-projects in South America and Asia. " In 2003 they helped found the Earth Community Network.

Foundation "Partner Learning Centres" whose "teaching principle is based on experiential learning with the local community about the Gaian holistic approach" include: Ngwenyama – Notwane, Botswana; Rincao Gaia –Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (which is The legacy of José Lutzenberger); Bija Vidyapeeth – DehraDun, India; Schumacher College – Devon, UK; Langata Centre - Nairobi, Kenya (which belongs to the Green Belt Movement, founded by Wangari Maathai).

Team

Accessed December 2011:

• Liz Hosken - Director
• Teresa Anderson - International Advocacy
• Cecilia Crossley - Head of Finance
• Dijana Malidza - Finance Assistant
• Carine Nadal - Legal Research Officer
• Rowan Phillimore - Communications & Media
• Fiona Wilton - Projects Coordination

Funding

Institutional: • Austrian Government - Global 2000 • DANIDA • Dutch Biodiversity Fund • European Commission • Finnish Government • IFAW • IUCN-Netherlands Committee • NOVIB and HIVOS (Holland) • SIDA • SwedBIO • Swiss SDC •

Grant-making Charities, Trusts and Foundations: AIM Foundation • Comic Relief • Coutts Charitable Trust • Foundation for Deep Ecology • Foundation for Global Community • Global Diversity Fund • Holly Hill Trust • Hygeia Foundation • International Fund for Animal Welfare • IUCN-Netherlands Committee • LifeBridge Foundation • Mulberry Trust • Network for Social Change • Planet Heritage Foundation • Polden Puckham Charitable Trust • Restore UK • Rudolph Steiner Foundation • Sigrid Rausing Trust • SOS Planet Earth • The Christensen Fund • The Golden Bottle Trust • The Institute for International Education • The Roddick Foundation • Tudor Trust • Wayward Trust

Trustees

Accessed October 2011:

• Jules Cashford
• Nic Marks
• Edward Posey
• Michael Shaw
• Tracy Worcester

People

Accessed November 2009: (Much the same people in June 2013)

Gaia Associates

• Colin Campbell (Healer)
• Tony Cunningham
• Tewolde Berhan Egziabher
• Irwin Friedman
• Martin von Hildebrand
• Martin Khor
• Ailton Krenak
• Wangari Maathai (no longer an Associate in June 2013)
• Manfred Max-Neef
• Andrew Muir
• Gurdial Singh Nijar
• Melaku Worede
• Vandana Shiva

Gaia Advisers:

• Maggie Baxter
• David Cadman
• Jules Cashford
• Angela Cordeiro
• Brian Goodwin (no longer advisor in June 2013)
• Satish Kumar
• Juan Mayr
• Jacqueline McGlade
• Brian Swimme

(New additional advisors listed in 2013: Theo Sowa (Ghana), Abudulai Sulemana (Ghana), and John Wilson (Zimbabwe).)

Patrons:

• Thomas Berry

Former Associates, Advisors and Patrons: Sadly, some beloved colleagues have died during the years since Gaia was founded. We appreciate their support and commitment, the projects that we collaborated on, and they remain in our hearts.

• Laurens van der Post (Patron)
• Colin Hudson (Gaia Associate)
• José Lutzenberger (Gaia Associate)

They also add a note in memory of Teddy Goldsmith (UK).

Contact

Web: http://www.gaiafoundation.org

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch

• Guy Fisher
• Eliot Cowan
• May East - former staff
• Jeremy Irons [1]
• Tom Doust - former project officer
• Sarah Nicholl
• Anthony Thorley