David Bellamy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Bellamy
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| Born |
David James Bellamy
18 January 1933 London, England
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| Died | 11 December 2019 (aged 86) County Durham, England
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| Education | Sutton County Grammar School |
| Alma mater | Chelsea College of Science and Technology (BSc, 1957) Bedford College, London (PhD, 1960) |
| Occupation | botanist, television presenter, author, environmental campaigner |
| Employer | Durham University |
| Spouse(s) |
Rosemary Froy
(m. 1959; died 2018) |
| Children | 5 |
David James Bellamy (born January 18, 1933 – died December 11, 2019) was a famous English botanist, TV presenter, writer, and champion for the environment. He was known for his exciting way of talking about nature and his passion for protecting our planet.
Contents
Discovering David Bellamy
Early Life and Education
David Bellamy was born in London, England, on January 18, 1933. His parents were Winifred May and Thomas Bellamy. He grew up in a Baptist family and kept his strong Christian faith all his life. When he was a child, David dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer. However, he decided his body shape wasn't quite right for it.
David went to school in south London. He attended Chatsworth Road Primary School and Cheam Road Junior School. Later, he went to Sutton County Grammar School. At first, he was good at English and history. But then, an inspiring science teacher helped him find his true calling. He began studying zoology (animals), botany (plants), physics, and chemistry.
He earned a degree in botany from Chelsea College of Science and Technology in 1957. He then got his PhD from Bedford College in 1960. David was inspired by the book A Girl of the Limberlost and Disney's movie Fantasia.
Family Life
David Bellamy married Rosemary Froy in 1959. They stayed together until Rosemary passed away in 2018. They had five children: Henrietta (who died in 2017), Eoghain, Brighid, Rufus, and Hannah. David and Rosemary lived in the Pennines area, in County Durham.
David's Science Career
David Bellamy's first job in science was as a lab assistant. This was at Ewell Technical College before he went to Chelsea for his degree. In 1960, he became a teacher in the botany department at Durham University.
He became well-known to the public because of his work on the Torrey Canyon oil spill in 1967. This was a huge environmental disaster. He wrote an important paper about it in the science magazine Nature.
Writing and Publishing
David Bellamy wrote many science papers and books from 1966 to 1986. Many of his books were linked to the TV shows he worked on. In the 1980s, he became the face of the I-Spy children's books. Kids would send their completed books to him to get a reward.
In 1980, he even released a song called "Brontosaurus Will You Wait For Me?". He sang it on the TV show Blue Peter while wearing an orange jumpsuit!
Protecting Our Planet
Conservation Work
In the early 1970s, David Bellamy helped start the Durham Wildlife Trust. He was a very important part of protecting nature in the Durham area for many years.
In 1988, he traveled to New Zealand for an adventure race called the Coast to Coast. He didn't just report on the event; he decided to compete in it! While there, he also made a documentary series called Moa's Ark. He even received a special medal from New Zealand.
David Bellamy also helped create the Ford European Conservation Awards. He was a main speaker at the Asia Pacific Ecotourism Conference in 2002. In 2015, he and his wife Rosemary visited Malaysia to explore its amazing wildlife. In 2016, he opened a special boardwalk at the Hedleyhope Fell reserve in County Durham. This boardwalk was made from recycled plastic bottles!
David on TV
After his TV appearances about the Torrey Canyon oil spill, David Bellamy became a popular TV presenter. He had a very energetic and lively way of explaining science. He appeared on shows like Don't Ask Me.
He wrote, appeared in, or presented hundreds of TV shows. These shows were about plants, nature, the environment, and other topics. Some of his TV series included Bellamy on Botany, Bellamy's Britain, Bellamy's Europe, and Bellamy's Backyard Safari. People often made fun of his unique voice and style, like Lenny Henry on Tiswas. His voice was even used in advertisements.
Standing Up for What He Believed In
Activism and Campaigns
In 1983, David Bellamy was put in prison for protesting against a dam in Australia. He was trying to protect the Franklin River. In 1984, he jumped into the North Sea to officially open Britain's first Voluntary Marine Reserve.
In the late 1980s, he led a campaign in Jersey to save Queens Valley. This area was home to a rare type of snail. Even though he tried, he couldn't stop it from being turned into a reservoir.
In 1997, David Bellamy tried to become a politician. He ran against the Prime Minister, John Major, in the general election. He did not win. Bellamy later said that this campaign led to his TV career becoming less popular. He felt it was a bad idea.
He was also a strong campaigner against building wind farms in natural areas. However, he had previously seemed very excited about wind power in an educational video.
David Bellamy was the president of the British Institute of Cleaning Science. He strongly supported their plan to teach young people to care for the environment. The David Bellamy Awards Programme encourages schools to help keep the environment clean. He also supported the UK plastic recycling charity Recoup.
Views on Climate Change
Later in his life, David Bellamy's opinions on global warming changed. In 2005, he wrote a letter saying that many glaciers were growing, not shrinking. However, this information was later found to be incorrect. David accepted that his figures were wrong. He then said he would "draw back from the debate on global warming."
In 2008, David Bellamy signed the Manhattan Declaration. This statement asked for an end to tax-funded efforts to stop climate change. He believed that human-caused climate change was "poppycock" and that climate change was just a natural cycle.
His different views on climate change affected how some groups saw him. The Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts said they were "not happy with his line on climate change." David Bellamy had been their president since 1995, but he was replaced in 2005. Bellamy believed his views on global warming caused the BBC to reject his ideas for new TV shows.
Awards and Recognition
David Bellamy received many honors and awards for his work. He was given an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Bournemouth University.
Some of his other awards include:
- The Dutch Order of the Golden Ark
- The U.N.E.P. Global 500 Award
- The Duke of Edinburgh's Prize (1969)
- BAFTA, Richard Dimbleby Award
- BSAC Diver of The Year Award
- BSAC Colin McLeod Award, 2001
In 2013, Professor Chris Baines gave the first David Bellamy Lecture at Buckingham Palace. This was to celebrate David's 80th birthday. Another lecture was given in his honor in 2014.
David Bellamy also held many important positions, including:
- Patron of Recoup (Recycling of Used Plastics)
- Professor of Adult and Continuing Education, University of Durham
- Special Professor of Botany, University of Nottingham
- President of The Wildlife Trusts partnership (1995-2005)
- President of Plantlife
- Vice president of The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)
- Vice president of Marine Conservation Society
- Patron of World Land Trust (1992–2002)
See also
- Environmental movement
- Environmentalism
- Individual and political action on climate change
