Wild Wonders of Europe Launches Europe´s Largest Ever Photography Project!

Europe´s largest - ever photography project has launched its web
site at http://www.wild-wonders.com/.

Wild Wonders of Europe is an epic, pan-European initiative, aiming
to reveal to 700 million Europeans our shared natural heritage and to
inspire a desire to safeguard its future.

This is also the start of the countdown to the Great Quest, which
will begin in May 2008.

A Quest in which 50 of Europe´s leading nature photographers will
travel on more than 90 assignments to every country in Europe, with a
mission to create stunning imagery of the very Crown Jewels among
Europe´s natural treasures. From the smallest gems to the wilderness
riches, from the Atlantic shores to the Ural Mountains, and from the
Arctic tundra to the Mediterranean beaches...

The beauty and interest of the images, the excitement of the Quest
and the power of the messages will be presented through a variety of
media - locally and nationally - together reaching a huge diversity of
audiences, crossing borders of class, culture, age and ethnicity.

Wild Wonders of Europe will span at least 5 years, consisting of a
cutting-edge web site, outdoor exhibitions, books, audiovisual picture
shows, TV-series, photo competitions, and events all across Europe.

"Europeans know more about nature in Africa than in Europe"

"Most of us Europeans today know more about nature in Africa or
North America, than we know about Europe. How many Swedes know
anything about nature in Bulgaria? How many Irish know anything about
nature in Belarus? Or vice versa! This is all part of a natural
heritage that we share. But how are you supposed to care about
something that you have never even seen or heard about?" says Staffan
Widstrand, photographer and writer from Sweden, Managing Director of
Wild Wonders of Europe.

"Many think they need to go to America or Australia to experience
fascinating wildlife and amazing natural landscapes, but there is lots
of it in Europe. We have bison, bears, and wolves, as well as deep
canyons, high mountains, rolling steppes, great rivers and turquoise
fjords! We would like to inspire Europeans to go out there and better
enjoy their own natural heritage, first-hand. But beware, you might
fall in love with it all!" says Florian Mollers, photographer and
writer from Germany, the project´s Communications Director.

"It is clear that presently, a majority of Europeans are becoming
increasingly alienated from nature. Wild Wonders of Europe aims to
reverse this trend. We want to touch people´s emotions, excite them
about nature, make it cool. We want to re-connect people with our
natural heritage...our spiritual home," says Peter Cairns,
photographer and writer from Britain, Business Director of Wild
Wonders of Europe.

Wild Wonders of Europe is mainly about good news - showcasing the
great diversity and richness of nature and the fact that a lot of the
most magnificent Wild Wonders of Europe are still around. And, if we
look after them well enough, will still be around also in the future.

Wild Wonders of Europe is a celebration of the joy of wildness, of
nature conservation and of the noticeable wildlife comeback across
Europe.

Wild Wonders of Europe is being made possible through a growing
partnership with several major international conservation, media and
public organisations along with socially and environmentally conscious
corporations.

Among them are National Geographic Magazine, Epson, Bayard Presse,
PolarQuest, Noble Caledonia, European Environment Agency, Conservation
International, ILCP (The International League of Conservation
Photographers), UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme, The WILD
Foundation, and IUCN (The World Conservation Union), Countdown 2010,
AEFONA (Association of Spanish Nature Photographers).

Revealing Europe´s amazing natural treasures to the world.

A heritage to share. To enjoy. To protect.

http://www.wild-wonders.com/

Free Press images: are available for download in high-resolution
files, in the Press Room at http://www.wild-wonders.com/. These images
may be published without cost, but only in direct connection with
reports about Wild Wonders of Europe and mentioning the web address.

The photographer´s by-line shall also be published beside each
image.

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