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 Lucia Rua
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?
I work inside the Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions team at ICLEI Europe. I was born in a little village of Galicia and was raised in the mountains of the Basque Country, for this reason I was always aware of the importance of taking care of nature and how it helps me to recharge my energy. On the other hand, books and bookstores have always been an oasis of peace and inspiration for me. I love discovering inspirational authors and topics that nourish my mind and spirit, such as the book I would like to recommend today.
Which book did you pick and why?
I want to share the Book of Hope by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams. It is a wonderful conversation between the both of them. This book focuses on the urgent need for hope and action in the face of the environmental and social crises facing the planet. The book emphasizes that, despite the overwhelming challenges we face, hope is not only possible but necessary to inspire change. This book has been key in my long way to recover hope and deal with the ecoanxiety I have felt during the last years.
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?
I have always believed in the power of people, especially in youth. I loved to discover the history behind the Roots & Shoots, the Jane Goodall Institute’s youth-led global community action program, which helps young people become the informed generation of compassionate citizens that the world urgently needs. They also foster different projects to protect natural places, increasing the wellbeing of local communities. This book is a marvelous read for those interested in applying Nature-based Solutions (NbS) since these are an excellent way of fighting global biodiversity loss while improving the health of people around the world.
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?
This book stresses the importance of hope as a catalyst for action, the power of individual efforts, the interconnectedness of all living beings, the role of science and education, the value of community and communication, the potential of youth and new generations, the need for resilience and persistence, and the transformative power of restoring hope through gratitude and joy.
If you were recommending this book to a colleague or a friend within the conservation community, what key takeaway or message would you highlight?
For those of us working in conservation, where the challenges can often feel overwhelming, this book reassures that hope is a human survival trait and that change is still possible, that every action contributes to a greater ripple effect.
