What is NetworkNature Reads?
#NetworkNatureReads is inspired by #ReadingRainbow and the #NewYorkTimes #ByTheBook series, both of which spread a love of reading by highlighting stand out books and the people who love them. Our goal is to do the same, but with a #naturebasedsolutions flavor. Every month, we will feature one book selected by a NetworkNature member.
We believe that literature widens perspectives and can foster connection with human and environmental communities. Read Wild Geese by Mary Oliver if you aren’t sure what we mean.
This month’s interviewee is Ivica Ilic, a lifelong nature enthusiast and passionate advocate for equitable environmental solutions. As Impact Acceleration Manager at Crowdhelix and a partner in the JustNature project, he has dedicated over 20 years to driving collaborative projects at the intersection of ecology, innovation, and social justice. His work focuses on ensuring that nature-based solutions are not only scientifically sound but also inclusive, co-created with communities, and rooted in fairness. With a career spanning diverse international initiatives, he brings a deep commitment to fostering connections between people, ecosystems, and the shared future we’re building together.
Want to get involved? Contact hello@networknature.eu to suggest a book!
Tell us about yourself! What role do nature and reading play in your life?
Ever since I first glimpsed the interconnectedness of ecosystems and communities, nature has never been just a backdrop; it’s a partner, a teacher, and a mirror reflecting our collective hopes and struggles. For over twenty years, my journey, from project inception through strategic acceleration at Crowdhelix, has been guided by the belief that our natural world and social well‑being are inseparable. As a partner in the JustNature initiative, I’ve committed to designing nature‑based solutions that center equity, empowerment, and justice. As Long as Grass Grows deeply resonates with that mandate.
Which book did you pick and why?
I chose As Long as Grass Grows by Dina Gilio-Whitaker because it offers a powerful intersection of environmentalism, history, and social justice, exactly the kind of multidimensional thinking that drives our work in the JustNature project. The book tells the story of Indigenous environmental struggles in the United States, from the impacts of colonization to the Standing Rock protests, revealing how environmental protection and human rights are deeply intertwined. For me, it’s an essential reminder that nature-based solutions are not just about restoring ecosystems, but also about restoring relationships with the communities who have stewarded these lands for generations. As someone who has spent over 20 years in project development and impact acceleration, I am drawn to works that challenge us to rethink our assumptions and include the voices too often left out. Gilio-Whitaker’s writing does exactly that, offering both a historical lens and a call to action. I chose this book because it compels us to go beyond technical solutions, toward equitable, justice-centered designs that honor both people and planet.
Can you share a specific moment from the book that resonates with you personally? How does it connect to your work with Nature-based Solutions projects?
One moment that stayed with me is Gilio-Whitaker’s account of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at Standing Rock. She describes how thousands of people, Indigenous communities, environmental activists, and allies, came together to protect sacred land and water, framing environmental defense as inseparable from cultural survival. Reading it, I was struck by the courage and clarity of that stand: nature was not being defended as a resource to be managed, but as a living relative to be respected. This perspective deeply connects to my work in JustNature, where nature-based solutions are co-created with communities and grounded in their values, histories, and rights. In projects, it is easy to focus on the technical side with designs, budgets, and timelines, but Standing Rock reminds me that the real power of these solutions lies in the relationships they protect and strengthen. It’s a vivid illustration of why justice must be embedded into environmental action, not treated as an optional add-on.
In what ways do you see the themes or lessons from the book aligning with the goals of conservation and the challenges we face in combating biodiversity loss today?
The book’s core lesson is that conservation cannot be separated from justice. Gilio-Whitaker shows how biodiversity protection has historically overlooked, and at times displaced, Indigenous communities, despite their deep ecological knowledge and proven stewardship. Today, as we face unprecedented biodiversity loss, we cannot afford to repeat those mistakes. The JustNature project works to design nature-based solutions that are inclusive, participatory, and culturally rooted, an approach that mirrors the book’s call for decolonizing environmentalism. Protecting biodiversity isn’t just about preserving species; it’s about sustaining the human–nature relationships that allow ecosystems to thrive. The book reminds us that resilience comes from partnership between conservation science and traditional knowledge, between local communities and global networks. This integration is essential if we are to meet the twin challenges of ecological decline and social inequity.
If you were recommending this book to a colleague or a friend within the conservation community, what key takeaway or message would you highlight?
I would tell them that As Long as Grass Grows is a reminder that conservation without justice is incomplete. The key takeaway is that protecting nature must go hand-in-hand with respecting the rights, histories, and knowledge of the communities most connected to the land. Gilio-Whitaker makes it clear that environmental solutions built without these foundations risk repeating patterns of exclusion and harm. For those of us in the conservation and nature-based solutions space, this means moving beyond technical fixes to embrace co-creation, shared decision-making, and genuine cultural understanding. The book challenges us to ask who benefits from conservation efforts, and who bears the costs. It’s an invitation to design projects that restore both ecosystems and trust, because without both, long-term sustainability is not possible.
