… And Conservation for All with Rtn Sanjay Krishna
Wildlife conservation can sound like the work of scientists, governments and specialists. Sanjay Krishna offers a more accessible idea: millions of ordinary people can protect nature through simple choices, shared learning and restraint.
Sanjay Krishna does not introduce himself as a scientist, field biologist or professional wildlife photographer. He describes himself simply as a wildlife enthusiast—someone who loves observing wild creatures living according to the laws of nature.
That perspective is central to his message. Conservation, he argues, does not require a degree, a forest posting or a large organization. It can begin with something as ordinary as leaving a tree standing, keeping waste out of a lake or allowing a patch of land to recover naturally.
That philosophy helped Krishna turn a personal passion for wildlife into the Rotary Fellowship of Wildlifers for Conservation (RFWC), a global community now numbering more than 1,000 members. Its growth offers a practical lesson: conservation becomes more powerful when people see themselves as participants rather than spectators.
A Personal Interest Finds a Wider Community
Krishna’s conservation journey within Rotary began during his 2019–20 year as a club president. He organized a family visit to a wildlife sanctuary and later arranged a screening of a documentary about the wildlife of Karnataka, his home state in southern India. More than 500 Rotarians attended the screening.
Those experiences revealed something important. Interest in wildlife was already present. People simply needed opportunities to experience it together.
Key Takeaways
- Conservation is something anyone can practice, regardless of professional training or field experience.
- Preventing damage can be as valuable as launching a new environmental project.
- Healthy restoration works with natural processes instead of simply beautifying landscapes.
- Shared wildlife experiences can build friendships, awareness, and momentum for community service.
- Millions of imperfect conservation choices can create meaningful collective change.
That enthusiasm soon expanded into service. Krishna’s club worked with residents of a rural village near Bangalore to rejuvenate a local lake. Rather than treating the project primarily as beautification, the effort focused on helping the lake function again as a natural water system.
Farmers and community members played the central role, while Rotary acted as a catalyst. Years later, Krishna said, the lake still holds water and attracts abundant birdlife, with more than 100 species observed there.
The experience connected fellowship, community participation and environmental restoration—and helped lay the foundation for something much larger.
Conservation Does Not Belong Only to Experts
When Krishna began exploring the idea of an international Rotary fellowship for wildlife enthusiasts, the word conservation initially gave him pause. He associated conservationists with experts doing intensive work in forests and field settings.
But a simpler definition changed his thinking: conservation is fundamentally about protecting the natural world from damage, waste, and destruction.
That opened the door to a more inclusive understanding. “To be a conservationist is not complicated. It is profoundly simple.”
In this view, conservation is not a professional identity reserved for a small group. Someone who avoids polluting water, protects habitat, reduces waste, or gives nature space to recover is already participating.
This idea eventually became central to the fellowship, which Rotary International recognized in January 2021. Its purpose was not only to bring wildlife enthusiasts together, but also to help ordinary people recognize that their interests, knowledge, and everyday choices could contribute to conservation.
“To be a conservationist is not complicated. It is profoundly simple.” Rtn Sanjay Krishna
The fellowship began organizing monthly talks featuring experts on subjects ranging from elephants, tigers, and African wildlife to birds, butterflies, ants, and marine life. The model placed experts and amateurs in the same community, connected by curiosity and a shared desire to protect wildlife.
Sometimes the Best Conservation Action Is Restraint
Much environmental messaging focuses on what people should do: plant, restore, build, clean, organize or campaign. Krishna adds another dimension—what we choose not to do.
A tree that is not cut continues providing habitat. Plastic that is not discarded into water causes no pollution there. Soil that is not unnecessarily disturbed can continue supporting the living systems within it. “Sometimes the biggest contribution any of us can make is restraint.”
Krishna applies the same principle to restoration. In discussing the lake project, he cautioned against confusing rejuvenation with cosmetic improvement. A functioning lake needs appropriate depth, clear feeder channels for incoming rainwater, and room for natural ecological processes.
Nature does not always need people to redesign it. Sometimes it needs people to remove an obstacle and let natural processes resume.
“Sometimes the biggest contribution any of us can make is restraint.” Rtn Sanjay Krishna
That principle can apply at smaller scales, too. Let grass grow in appropriate places. Let soil breathe. Allow leaves and organic matter to perform their ecological roles. Make space for birds, insects, and other wildlife.
Conservation, then, can be as much about subtraction as addition.
From a Rotary District to a Global Fellowship
Online connections during the COVID-19 pandemic helped Krishna meet Rotarians beyond his district and country. What began as local wildlife activities evolved into an international network.
RFWC was formally launched in December 2020 and approved as an official Rotary fellowship in January 2021. Six years into the journey, Krishna reported that it had grown to more than 1,000 members across more than 20 countries.
Members are encouraged to create regional chapters, visit one another’s countries, experience local wildlife and support Rotary projects. The fellowship is designed to make conservation social as well as practical—building friendships while expanding awareness.
That scale matters because Krishna does not believe environmental progress depends on a small number of flawless conservationists. “We don’t need 10 people doing conservation perfectly. We need 10 million people doing it imperfectly.”
The message lowers a barrier that can prevent people from acting: the fear that individual efforts are too small or imperfect to matter.
“We don’t need 10 people doing conservation perfectly. We need 10 million people doing it imperfectly.” Rtn Sanjay Krishna
A person can conserve water. Reduce waste. Protect a tree. Avoid a damaging purchase. Learn about local birds. Support habitat restoration. Share knowledge with young people. None of these actions requires professional credentials.
Collectively, however, they create a culture in which protecting nature becomes normal.
Practical Takeaways & Implications
Krishna’s approach offers a useful starting point for Rotary clubs, schools, community organizations and individuals: begin with what is close enough to understand and practical enough to change.
Look first for unnecessary harm that can be avoided. Reducing single-use materials, keeping waste out of waterways, saving water and protecting existing vegetation may accomplish more than launching complicated projects without understanding the local ecosystem.
When restoration is needed, work with local communities and people who understand the landscape. The lake project near Bangalore succeeded, Krishna emphasized, because local farmers participated and Rotary served as a catalyst rather than trying to control the entire process.
Education matters, too. Wildlife trips, birdwatching, documentary screenings and talks with knowledgeable speakers can turn curiosity into connection. People are more likely to protect species and places they have learned to notice and value.
Most importantly, conservation does not have to begin with perfection. It begins with participation.
Protecting the natural world is not simply an act of generosity toward wildlife. Healthy soil, pollinators, clean water, trees and functioning ecosystems support human communities as well. Conservation is therefore both responsibility and shared self-interest—and everyone can contribute.
About This Earth Talk
Speaker: Sanjay Krishna, Founder and Chairman of the Rotary Fellowship of Wildlifers for Conservation (RFWC). Krishna founded the fellowship to connect Rotarians, Rotaractors, and other wildlife enthusiasts around conservation, friendship, and service. In six years, the network has grown to more than 1,000 members internationally.
Date presented: 20 August 2026
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📖 Read the Blog: …and Conservation for All with Rtn Sanjay Krishna
🌱 Learn more / Project links: Rotary Fellowship of Wildlifers for Conservation