Johanna Winkelman

From her earliest years onwards, Johanna Winkelman (born in the Netherlands in 1953) loved birds and nature. On the age of six, and just able to write, she made her first bird notes after a walk in the dunes with her father. At the age of 14 she got her first camera, and since that time she spends her often scarce freetime and her holidays outside in nature, and tries to picture birds and nature's other beauties. When on holidays, also other cultures and the people in these foreign cultures do have her attention. She feels that culture and people are as diverse as birds and nature are, and often a reflection of the natural beauty of a specific country. Also when visiting Ukraine, her camera is always with her, and whenever possible those things that strike her of being so typically Ukrainian are being captured on film. So far she made 35 visits to Ukraine, mostly to Kiev and USPB's office, in her job responsibility of BirdLife Support Officer for Ukraine, but occasionally also to other parts of Ukraine. Since September 2004 she is USPB's honorary member, of which she is very proud.