Harrison Ford -- Celebrity Green Report
Written By Katherine Sansom
May 14, 2007
Harrison Ford is best known for his roles in Hollywood blockbusters such as ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Indiana Jones’, but he considers the protection of our planet’s areas of rich biodiversity at least as important in terms of his life’s work – and has devoted an impressive amount of time to the cause.
The actor currently lives on an 800-acre ranch in Wyoming and has devoted half of the area for use as a nature reserve. He is also the Honorary Chairman of The Indianapolis Prize, which awards $100,000 to the conservationist who has been most successful in protecting an animal species.
Harrison has served on the board of Conservation International for more than ten years and currently holds the position of Vice Chair. The organization works for the protection of ‘biodiversity hotspots’, i.e. the areas of the planet that are home to rich and diverse forms of plant and animal life. Harrison has taken a hands-on role in the design and development of the organization and explains its importance as, “fighting to protect [biodiversity hotspots] before they disappear forever. These hotspots are home to over 60 percent of the world's species. Plants and animals that provide food and medicine that clean our air and water. That keep our planet alive."
2001 saw the release of ‘Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance’, a documentary film narrated by Harrison and exploring the areas of our planet that are rarely (or never) visited by humans. Impenetrable rainforests, Angels Falls, the Arctic, underwater forests—the documentary is a science adventure that takes its audience around the planet in an attempt to explore the interconnectedness of life and – the subject close to Ford’s heart – biodiversity.
In 2002, the actor was awarded the Global Environmental Citizen Award by Harvard Medical School for his work in conservation of the planet’s biodiversity and accepted the honor as recognition of the tireless work of Conservation International.
RESOURCES:
http://www.conservation.org
