NewtonPak is proud to be a Carbon Balanced printer with the World Land Trust, and we were first attracted to the Carbon Balanced scheme in large part because of the endorsement of the WLT by Sir David Attenborough. This article has been written by Carbon Balanced Paper in celebration of the World Land Trust’s legendary supporter.
On May 8, the world celebrated a very special birthday. Broadcaster, naturalist, writer and long-time supporter of World Land Trust, Sir David Attenborough, turned 100 years old, marking a century of life in which he’s radically changed the face of conservation, bringing nature into the living rooms of millions of people and stating the case for the environment to world leaders and global conferences.
Currently on our screens with Secret Garden, exploring the hidden wildlife in Britain’s gardens and the practical steps that people can take to support it, his vast back catalogue of TV series have captivated and inspired generations, changing the way people look at nature and creating entire movements that have directly influenced global environmental policy.
His support for World Land Trust has been constant ever since the charity was founded in 1989, with Sir David inspired by founder John Burton and his creative approach to raising funds to save important wildlife habitats around the world.
“The sensible attitude to conservation is to conserve animal and plant communities and that means land,” said Sir David. “World Land Trust recognised that a long time before others and it became their first objective.”
Music and Celebration
The focal point of Sir David’s birthday celebrations will be a huge event at the Royal Albert Hall in London on May 8. To be broadcast on BBC One on the night, David Attenborough’s 100 Years on Planet Earth will be hosted by Kirsty Young and feature some of the biggest names in broadcasting and conservation reflecting on Sir David’s career, including Michael Palin, Chris Packham, Liz Bonnin and fellow WLT Patron Steve Backshall.
The event will also feature live scores from Sir David’s most acclaimed series performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra, such as the spine-tingling snakes-and-iguanas sequence from Planet Earth II and the haunting orca footage from Frozen Planet II. Some of the musicians featured in the soundtracks will also play live, including Dan Smith, the frontman of Bastille, who will join the BBC Concert Orchestra to perform Pompeii, which appeared in Planet Earth III, and Icelandic band Sigur Rós, who will play ‘Hoppípolla’, which was used in promotions for Planet Earth and Planet Earth II. There will also be music from Paraguayan harpist Francisco Yglesias, who will play the traditional Pajaro Campana – a piece that featured in Zoo Quest, Sir David’s first wildlife programme.
A Lifetime of Influence
But like all good birthday parties, Sir David’s celebrations will go on longer than a single night. The Natural History Museum continues its immersive experience, Our Story With David Attenborough, which has drawn visitors since mid-2025, while the annual floral festival Chelsea in Bloom has dedicated its theme to Attenborough’s centenary, promising a “monumental floral globe” on the King’s Road in London at the end of May.
However big or small the event, no one can deny that Sir David Attenborough deserves all the attention and celebration the world offers. Having dedicated his entire career to the natural world, his influence on people’s perception of wildlife and their desire to protect it is immeasurable. Having worked ceaselessly since the 1950s, everyone would say he deserves a rest, but it’s unlikely he’ll be hanging up the microphone just yet.
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References
This article has been written by Carbon Balanced Paper – https://carbonbalancedpaper.com/happy-birthday-sir-david/
