Allan Savory
| Allan Savory | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | September 15, 1935 Bulawayo, Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe) |
| Fields | Ecology |
| Institutions | Savory Institute, Africa Center for Holistic Management |
| Alma mater | University of Natal |
| Known for | "Holistic management concept Ecology |
| Notable awards | Banksia International Award 2003 |
(Clifford) Allan Redin Savory (born September 15, 1935) is a Zimbabwean biologist, farmer, soldier, exile, environmentalist and winner of the Banksia International Award 2003.[1] and winner of the Buckminster Fuller Award 2010.[2] He is the originator of the Holistic Management concept.
Contents |
[edit] Political Involvement
Savory was elected into the Rhodesian Parliament representing Matobo constituency in the 1970 election. After resigning from the Rhodesian Front in protest over its racist policies and handling of the war, Savory reformed the defunct Rhodesia Party formerly led by Sir Roy Welensky. Subsequently all moderate white parties united in opposition to Ian Smith in what was known as the National Unifying Force (NUF) led by Savory. When Savory made a public statement that if he had been born a black Rhodesian he would have been a guerilla fighter and urged white Rhodesians to understand why he would feel this, Ian Smith denounced him as a traitor. Because the NUF party would not stand by Savory he relinquished leadership to Tim Gibbs, son of Rhodesia’s last Governor. Savory continued to fight Ian Smith and his policies, in particular opposing the Internal Settlement under Bishop Abel Muzorewa. Finally faced with detention by the Smith government Savory escaped and went into self imposed exile to continue his scientific work as there was no more he felt a white Rhodesian could do to speed an end to the civil war.[3]
[edit] Holistic Management Concept
Savory had begun working on the ancient problem of land degradation (desertification) in 1955 in Northern Rhodesia where he served in the Colonial Service as Provincial Game Officer, Northern and Luapula Provinces. He subsequently continued this work in Southern Rhodesia first as a research officer in the Game Department, then subsequently as an independent scientist and international consultant. When in exile Savory worked from the Cayman Islands into the Americas introducing his new discoveries about both the cause of desertification and how to reverse it using increased numbers of livestock. This work he subsequently wrote up in the book "Holistic Management: A New Decision Making Framework" written with his wife Jody Butterfield and published by Island Press (1989; 1999 2nd edition). In 1992 he co-founded the Africa Center for Holistic Management with his wife, Jody Butterfield, and in 2009 the Savory Institute, which he currently heads. In 2010 Savory and the Africa Center for Holistic Management won The Buckminster Fuller Challenge.[4]
Today, thousands of families, corporations and businesses are using the holistic management framework developed by Savory to radically improve the quality of their lives and regenerate the resource base that sustains them. This includes conservation projects in the U.S., Africa, Canada and Australia, where large tracts of land are being transformed as desertification is reversed through Holistic Management using livestock and holistic planned grazing as the main agent of change.[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
Savory, Allan; Jody Butterfield (1998-12-01) [1988]. Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making (2nd ed. ed.). Washington, D.C.: Island Press. ISBN 1-55963-487-1.
- ^ Banksia Environmental Foundation. "2003" AWARD
- ^ Buckminster Fuller Institute. [1]
- ^ "Bring Back the Buffalo!". The Washington Post. May 12, 1997. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/bringbac.htm.
- ^ John Thackara, "Seed Magazine", June 2010, "[2]", 8-6-10
