The soft, soothing tones of Sir David Attenborough can make almost anything sound OK – whether it’s a snake / iguana battle or our country’s impending water shortage problems.

According to TimesLive, “Attenborough…has narrated a documentary on the work of Dr Ian Little of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)”.

Only six out of 169 applicants for the Whitley Fund for Nature were successful and the awards ceremony, dubbed the ‘Green Oscars’, takes place later this evening.

Before we go any further let’s enjoy some Sir David:

One hell of a job from Dr. Little, and (as always) pure class from Attenborough.

IOL with more on Little’s work:

HRH The Princess Royal, Princess Anne on Thursday presented a Whitley Award, a prestigious international nature conservation prize worth £35 000 (about R612 000) in project funding, to Ian Little at a ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society, London…

Little – of the Endangered Wildlife Trust – works with farmers to champion conservation of grassland habitat.

Working with farmers and tribal leaders, Little is building capacity for sustainable farming and introducing improved management practices, such as less intensive grazing and burning regimes to decrease pressure on grasslands and boost productivity.

He has already secured 60 000 hectares (about 600km squared) of grassland for conservation purposes; a figure Little plans to increase with his Whitley Award by creating a corridor of legally protected areas linking with others along the escarpment.

In doing so he will safeguard these grasslands and the important source of freshwater they provide…

Little is one of six individuals to have been awarded a share of the prize money worth £210,000 (about R3million), winning the Whitley Award donated by the Garfield Weston Foundation.

Well played, Dr. Little and team, you’ve earned an ice cold one.

[sources:timeslive&iol]