CHRIS CHADWELL - lecturer (digital presentations to clubs & societies), field-botanist (the leading authority on the flora of the NW Himalaya), plant photographer (preparing digital photographic guides to wild flowers of Kashmir, Ladakh, Lahaul & Himachal Pradesh) & genuine conservationist (working on various projects designed to protect the flora, environment & peoples of the Himalaya, investigating and exposing fraudulent conservation charities, along with the big names who endorse them along with made-up botanical research by those who sit in offices, rather than actually conduct surveys in the Himalaya, inventing 'critically endangered' species which are no such thing). Chris is outspoken, pulls no punches and has recently begun presenting factual evidence defending his conduct and ethics against unfair accusations; find the 'Hero or Villain' section, if you are interested by scrolling down LHS navigation bar (see: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/an-article-the-so-called-journalist-should-be-ashamed-of) or just relax by viewing images of wild and garden flowers in the UK, Himalaya & North America - see Chris Chadwell's travels (top entries) on the navigation bar. The purpose of this web-site is to attempt to bring out the best in people and expose those who pretend to be concerned but are in fact, fakes; regrettably naïve Westerners continue to be tricked.... We have all heard about the only thing needed for evil to triumph, so Chris is, once again, "standing up" against the wrong-doing; look at the bottom of this page, Chris is determined to expose a scandal, though it is never easy being a whistle-blower... E-mail: chrischadwell261@btinternet.com WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE? JOIN CHRIS CHADWELL'S PROJECT TO HELP SAVE RARE HIMALAYAN FLORA. THE FLORA, ENVIRONMENT & PEOPLES OF THE HIMLAYA ARE BEING FAILED BY THEIR GOVERNMENTS, IDLE BOTANISTS WITH NO APPETITE TO GO UP INTO THE HIMALAYA TO STUDY ITS FLORA, FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO ENDORSE FAKE CHARITIES, THE MEDIA, WESTERN BOTANICAL GARDENS & INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION BODIES AND JOURNALISTS WHO WRITE ABOUT THE HIMALAYA, YET KNOW ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THE SUBJECT AND WHO COULD NOT CARE LESS, NO MATTER HOW MANY 'CROCODILE TEARS' ARE SHED.... THE THEME MUSIC OF THIS CHARITY IS PETE SEEGER'S WONDERFUL FOLK SONG, SEE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y2SIIeqy34 (THOUGH 'FLOWERS ARE MEANT DIFFERENTLY'. FOR FURTHER DETAILS, SEE: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/where-have-all-the-flowers-gone Chris' LATEST albeit small, CHADWELL SEEDS catalogue (January 2018) is now available upon request, as a pdf. See: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/seed-catalogue-1 Adventurous gardening connoisseurs should also consider joining the Himalayan Plant Association, which enables access to the world's highest quality seed exchange, see:  Chris beside the stunning SALVIA HIANS in the North-West Himalaya. © Chris Chadwell ALL PHOTOS ON THIS SITE ARE COPYRIGHT © Chris Chadwell - THEY MUST NOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT! Freelance Lecturer with more than 30 years experience speaking to wide-variety of clubs and societies around the UK, 4 lecture tours in North America, one in New Zealand, plus presentations in India, France, Switzerland and Norway; Field-Botanist - leader of 24 botanical and plant hunting expeditions along the Himalaya; Co-Founder (in 1990) and Editor of the 'Himalayan Plant Association Journal' (25th Anniversary Edition completed); Authority on Himalayan Plants utilised in Tibetan Medicine; Proprietor of Chadwell Seeds (Established in 1984); Travel & Plant Photographer; Independent Research Scientist & now, through necessity, an Investigative journalist - as it has become apparent that he has greater knowledge and expertise about many aspects of the Himalaya, being far better informed than journalists employed by the media; after all, Chris has devoted his adult life to the study of Himalayan flora. If you wish to discover the truth about the real issues rather than the fake ones with associated 'crocodile tears' from governments, Institutions national and International, covering the plant life and environment of the Himalaya then read Chris' intelligent insights on this web-site - he really cares...... and consider joining the Himalayan Plant Association, see: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/latest-situation or support him in other ways. Why not suggest the programme secretary of a club or society you belong to (whether general-interest, horticultural or natural history-orientated) invites him to deliver one of his lively and informative digital presentations? See: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/topics-fees-expenses. Senior figures and 'celebrities' should not be endorsing fraudulent plant conservation charities, no matter who they are! Chris will not be popular if he exposes this wrong-doing..... It seems our world is riddled with people being 'economical with the truth', sadly amongst them those we thought we could trust.... Yet Chris hesitates to proceed, as to the likely consequences for him......  Title Page of Chris' guide to the 'Wild Flowers of Kashmir', one of four 'floras' he is currently compiling. Currently engaged in preparation of 4 revolutionary (botanically-speaking) digital 'books' (to be available on CDs, in parts, such that the first should be available later this year) with numerous images of: Wild flowers of Kashmir; Wild Flowers of Ladakh; Wild Flowers of Lahaul-Spiti; Wild Flowers of Himachal Pradesh - which will transform the study of the flora of the NW Himalaya, setting an example for others, in many parts of the world to follow, based upon almost 40 years studying the region's flora. It says much for his resilience, given how badly and unfairly he has been treated by the "powers-that-be" in recent times. Shame on all those guilty parties! Don't believe everything you read in the media. Read the content of this web-site and judge for yourselves. Chris has devoted his adult life to studying Himalayan flora and cares deeply about the plants, environment and peoples of the Himalaya. He is genuine. The same cannot be said for those, comfortably off, in both the Indian sub-continent and the West, shedding 'crocodile tears' about conservation - they could not care less. For Chris to be portrayed in an adverse way is an injustice. He is preparing to publicly defend himself and expose wrong-doing.... Do read on and learn more about Chris Chadwell and his various activities and see his hard-won expertise. In more positive vain see: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/wild-flowers-of-nw-himalaya-digital-guides Chris with Lamas (Buddhist monks) at a Monastery in 'Little Tibet' (Ladakh) © Chris Chadwell Dhaulagiri - the 'White Mountain', Nepal Himalaya © Chris Chadwell
'West Himalayan Blue-poppy' (MECONOPSIS ACULEATA) © Chris Chadwell TALKS/DIGITAL PRESENTATIONS Chris has proven to be a popular and versatile public-speaker, having delivered hundreds of entertaining and informative lectures around the UK. His latest digital presentations appeal to garden clubs, specialist horticultural societies along with more general audiences such as National Trust Centres and U3A groups. He has undertaken lecture tours and speaking engagements in the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, France, Ireland and India. Audiences now regularly remark that the images he shows at his lectures are amongst the best they have ever seen. Why not suggest him as a speaker to a club or society you belong to? Chris lives not far from Slough, also near Windsor and Heathrow, travelling mostly by train via Reading or Paddington. (See: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/topics-fees-expenses section of this web-site for details of the topics he offers and fees; then for dates of current bookings: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/speaking-engagements-2016-17)
Title slide of Chris Chadwell's digital presentation about Kashmir © Chris Chadwell
Title slide of Chris Chadwell's digital presentation about Plant Introductions at National Trust Properties © Chris Chadwell WHAT IS THIS WEB-SITE REALLY ABOUT? TRYING TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN PEOPLE..... CHRIS IS 'A FRIEND OF THE PEOPLES OF THE HIMALAYA' AND THE WORLD'S FLORA. THEY BOTH NEED A VOICE. NATURE CONSERVATION REMAINS IN ITS INFANCY IN TOO MANY REGIONS OF THE WORLD. INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION BODIES NEED TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR APPROACH. BOTH LOCAL PEOPLE AND RARE FLORA ARE BEING "LET DOWN". THE PRESENT SITUATION IS UNSATISFACTORY AND CAN ONLY IMPROVE IF THIS IS FACED UP TO.... INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE NEEDS TO BE APPLIED. SHAME ON THOSE WHO IGNORE WHAT CHRIS IS DRAWING ATTENTION TO......  Chris discussing plants used in Tibetan medicine with a Lama (Buddhist monk) in Ladakh © Chris Chadwell
Chris outside a trekking lodge in Nepal © Chris Chadwell
The admirable sentiments above of India's first prime minister after Independence in 1947, inscribed below his statue in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, Northern India. The world would be a better place if every nation and individual citizen in the world, adopted such a philosophy. How many Indian or foreign tourists passing by this statue, actually read it or appreciate the significance of the words? Chris is a FRIEND of India's and wishes to see her become MIGHTY as Nehru intended 70 years ago. Why not begin with a BETTER approach to studying Himalayan flora and its conservation? Why not actively take advantage of the hard-won expertise foreigners like Chris Chadwell have to offer? We ALL need to collaborate internationally. Actively discouraging such contacts, which successive Indian governments have been guilty of, has been harmful. Chris Chadwell has 'bent over backwards' for a period of more than 30 years attempting to help with studies on flora of the Indian Himalaya - yet absolutely no interest has been show. What excuse can there be?  © Chris Chadwell This final section of the Home Page ends with an image of a cute Nepali girl taken a few years ago (highly intelligent and full of enthusiasm for life, holding one of my business cards, whilst looking after her younger brother (see image below). Let us celebrate and help protect their charm and innocence. She and the people of Nepal deserve better in the future We can do "our bit" by making sure aid monies are spent more effectively than they have been in the past.... Why not find out more about the ways Chris and others try to "put something back" in the Himalaya? Take a look at the different sections of this web-site and then help Chris or directly support charities he can recommend - which are genuine. © Chris Chadwell Namaste from the girl's younger brother - thanking all those who have made donations following the earthquakes in Nepal in 2015. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BE 'STREET-WISE' AND SUPPORT THE BEST CHARITIES AND PROJECTS WHICH, AS THE BRITAIN-NEPAL MEDICAL TRUST STATES, HELPS EMPOWER THE PEOPLES OF THE HIMALAYA..... THIS COMPLETES PART I OF THE INTRODUCTION TO CHRIS CHADWELL AND HIS ASSORTED ACTIVITIES - FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, SEE: https://sites.google.com/a/shpa.org.uk/main/further-information-about-chris-chadwell
Chris Chadwell is campaigning against the abandonment of the flora of the NW Himalaya, its environment & peoples The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing - well as you can see by scrolling down the left hand side navigation bar, Chris is standing up for the flowers, environment and peoples of the Himalaya, which have been abandoned by regional and Western governments along with international so-called conservation bodies. Senior people and well-known figures have been taken in. Chris, on the other hand, armed with unique expertise and first-hand expertise is fighting-back. Has politics damaged his reputation and attempted to destroy him? Well, he is no longer taking it lying down. He is not pulling his punches and why should he, given how badly he has been treated. Who do you believe and trust? He is not going to popular when he challenges the glowing endorsements some awfully famous figures have given to fake charities (one knowledgeable local in the borderlands of Tibet describes one such charity as "bull-shit" and how descriptive he is) - the 'very big' names and organisations should know better, encouraging literally millions to be donated to what is a giant con.... This is evil to my mind. Who do you think is telling the truth? PLANT OF THE MONTH for April 2018 (for those who return to this site to catch the latest):  'Flowers of the Himalaya' published in 1984 lists this as Bistorta affinis. Stewart, in 'An Annotated Catalogue of the Vascular plants of Pakistan & Kashmir' (1972) knew it as Polygonum affine, which is common and gregarious on rocky ridges @ 3300-4800m. 'The Plant List' has P.affine as an accepted name, B.affinis as an unresolved name. Whatever name one applies, this has proven an adaptable plant in cultivation, widely used in planting schemes in the UK including opposite the Royal Mail Sorting Office near where Chris Chadwell lives. Numerous cultivars exist such as 'Donald Lowndes', which honours a botanist who accompanied a Bill Tilman expedition in Nepal in 1950 (one of the first permitted into that country - the early Everest Reconnaissance Expeditions in the 1920s and 1930s were from the north, through Tibet). Photo was taken in Kashmir. © Chris Chadwell |
