The leopard tortoise called it.  It felt auspicious as we also came out of our shells to gather in slow-town Sedgefield in a mindful way.

Even though our small enterprising team is often dispersed in various nooks across the country and the globe, this year – at last – we could all gather together again for an in-person AGM.

And it was a nourishing time. We convened in Sedgefield and first let the road dust settle with some overdue catching up and intention setting.

It was also time to formally welcome Dr. Matthew Zylstra back into ONE,  our maverick Conservation Scientist and Programme Coordinator for our collaborative venture, the Kwendalo Institute.

Matthew and ONE Co-Director, Jess Tyrrell, had just completed a workshop at the Kwendalo Institute the day before, covering the pioneering Nature Referrals (NRx) programme.  This event was also attended by our other ONE Co-Director, Saskia von Diest, founder of the popular ecofluency initiative.

More than just ticking the bureaucratic boxes, this year’s AGM provided the space for a fresh perspective. It was time of reweaving of ideas and revisiting opportunities for growth into 2024.

Pictured: (L to R): Dr. Saskia von Diest, Dr. Matthew Zylstra, Jess Tyrrell, and Dr. Peter Nilssen

Images: Saskia von Diest