Very fruitful meeting with the Department of Energy and Climate Change today… actually quite encouraging … They very much support Ice Bears aim of speaking to people as individuals. From my perspective having spoken to numerous scientists now… Ice Bear is correct to the science and has a real purpose in asking people to discuss how we all can make that difference. Government and industry have to tackle the large percentage but in the end we all have to take on the rest… and ultimately the responsibility.
Archive for November, 2009
30th Nov
Monday, November 30th, 200929th
Sunday, November 29th, 2009The Ice Bear Team has been brilliant… I could never have pulled this off with out the support and dedication of so many wonderful people. Brian and Diedre Skilton organised a most successful fund raising dinner with Pen Hadow, Nick Baker and myself speaking… apart from raising some vital funds we made a huge number of Ice Bear friends and that is so valuable. My thanks goes out to all who contributed to that evening and in particular the National Trust team at Castle Drogo for hosting us.
Other news … We have seen the complete and frozen blocks of ice in the deep freeze… as ice blocks alone they are wonderful… I can not wait now to get them carved and on the squares.
Well done the Ice Bear family.
Mark
26th
Friday, November 27th, 2009It is now approaching the end of this month… The Canadian weather forecasts Churchill temperatures to still be only minus 10 into the early days of December. That takes the freeze up to a month late. I find it distressing to hear of the bears pacing the shores waiting to get to ice and food… the stress on the hungry bears must be far greater… they have now not eaten since August. We HAVE to try to make amends.
21st Nov
Saturday, November 21st, 2009I have just had a message from Dr Geoff York, the highly respected Biologist and Arctic expert… the bears that I was working with along side the Hudson Bay so recently are still on land. The freeze is now much later than the 2007 late freeze up. BUT we must not take this as a big flap… this is a part of a trend and a significant part. This late freeze up will become part of the graph and evidence of warming. The Southern most bear populations are under pressure and of that there is simply NO denying.
We MUST get this message out and ensure people come on board. Ice Bear is effective as a message board so we must use it. I do invite any one interested in helping me get the project to other cities to make contact.
18th Nov
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009DDay is so close… I carve the Copenhagen bear on 5th Dec, two weeks to run… Ice Bear is like a Jumbo Jet on final approach! 11th Dec will see the London bear born for the public to see and interact with. Like that Jumbo Jet captain it is up to me to land this one and smoothly!
When I say I could just not get to sleep last night, restless legs and mind a whirl of thoughts you may well say there there we quite understand… but I was not panicking over the Ice Bear, I was feeling a well of excitement over another sculpture that has been growing as a seed in the back of my consciousness. Last night it bounced me… the solution to how to sculpt that extraordinary land or more like it seascape … expanse, depth, scale and originality… I just long to start it, give me time in my studio and lets create sculpture! BUT first we have a vital message to pass on to the whole wide world, the Ice Bear Project is alive and kicking, the IBP team, WWF, PBI, our sponsors, donors and friends are counting down the days!
A week spent with Polar Bears International… and bears
Thursday, November 12th, 2009I am sitting in the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Winnipeg returning from a most constructive week in Churchill Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capital of the World! I travelled there with Ollie Parker, we were guests of Polar Bears International (PBI), generous and utterly supportive hosts they were too.
My mission over the week was to go and interview to camera some of the worlds leading polar bear biologists. I wanted to ensure that I was correct in all respects over the direction that I have been taking with Ice Bear. The Ice Bear message is visually and artistically strong and easy to read… it therefore has to be singing a correct tune.
PBI sponsored this trip in a most generous way but not only that they opened door to the science world that might well have been beyond my ability.
I shall not give a diary blow by blow account of the trip here, that will come once their web page is up and running, I will pick out just some of the events and conclusions.
PBI is a dynamic grouping of like minded volunteers a non profit organisation dedicated to the worldwide conservation of the polar bear and its habitat through research and education. They provide scientific resources and information on polar bears and their habitat to all interested parties… They saw and understood what we were doing and saw the value of Ice Bear as an educational tool.
Through the week PBI had visiting Churchill a number of guests including Don Moore from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Zoo, a man with huge knowledge, experience and influence. Dr Andy Derocher from the University of Alberta, Dr Geoff York from WWF- Arctic Program, Martyn Obbard from Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources some of the leading polar bear biologists… and that only names a few of the fascinating people we got to meet and interview.
What came out of the talks was a far deeper understanding of the science behind the conservation of the polar bear and most satisfyingly an unreserved blessing from the science world for the Ice Bear message.
Not only was the mission achieved on the research and interview front PBI and Frontiers North (look them up on the web www.frontiersnorth.com for ANY adventures North bound) took us out to view and record bears on the Tundra from the Frontiers North Tundra Buggies. The value here was total… Ollie needed footage to support the Ice Bear filming and I needed to immerse myself in the bear so that when I am confronted by that vast block of ice on 5th Dec in Copenhagen and 11th Dec in London I can approach it with total confidence and with bears ringing around my little grey cells!
I wish to give PBI, all their volunteers and most particularly Robert Buchanan their dynamic leader and Krista Wright their whirlwind Chief of Staff an enormous thank you from The Ice Bear Project… we have made a great partnership with PBI.
Now to the aeroplane and home!
7th Nov
Saturday, November 7th, 2009Full on in Churchill… bears, buggies and interviews today…
We went to a talk by Dr Andy Derocher last night… There is a man with such dedication and commitment to the bear and its environment. Over 27 years of experience in the field. The changes that he has witnessed is, the findings that he describes, the fact that he is ready to blow smoke in the face of his government… (but in a way that is TOTALLY humble and lacking in ego) makes me realise that the problems ahead are REAL. People MUST take their heads out of the sand. Derocher says that there will be an Arctic but not one that we recognise today. What is clear also is that there is an unknown beyond and a chain reaction that could nip us. Equally I am learning here that with effort and commitment from ALL of us we can pull out of the dive but heads must be pulled out of the sand first…
5th Nov
Thursday, November 5th, 2009ONE month till COP15…!
I am right now in Churchill Manitoba with Polar Bears International (PBI). Ollie Parker and I have come over to talk to and interview some of the leading Polar Bear and climate change scientists. We have just returned from the cold having filmed Robert Buchanan the PBI President. He speaks very well his messages are harsh but positive… we must reforest, we must not only recycle, we buy recycled goods, we must conserve energy and we must ‘mentor stewardship within communities’ in other words we must educate people to educate others to care. It is a matter of EVERY ONE doing what they can in a small way to conserve energy… to think cleaner. Robert is fully behind Ice Bear and all that we are doing, we have a great partnership and a close synergy…
There are going to be several vital meetings in the days ahead. Ollie is pleased with the afternoons work and I am delighted… long to see a bear!
Mark Coreth Ice Bear News Churchill!
2 Nov
Monday, November 2nd, 20092nd Nov already !!!… Ice Bear team is paddling like crazy to keep the numerous balls in the air. As I stare towards the heavens I just thank the Good Lord for the likes of Toby Sherborne the teams key administrator and Todd the man behind Copenhagen and so much else…! Coreth was once a Blue and Royal (HCav) … then when in command of troops and armoured cars he was quite efficient… now he is a sculptor and the artistic temperament is well and truely developed. I could not have pulled the Ice Bear out of the bag without support… and that does not even begin to mention all the remaining members of my team……..!
The goals of Copenhagen and Trafalgar Square are getting closer… and the clock is ticking… BUT I do feel we are on a flightpath that will give us a gentle landing even after a turbulent flight… all because of THE TEAM!