Lawrence Anthony was born in 1950 in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Dr. Anthony was a passionate environmentalist and wildlife conservationist. His life, vision and many conservation undertakings are memorialized in his books  Babylon’s Ark (2007) about his efforts to save the animals in the Baghdad Zoo after the Allied invasion in 2003, The Elephant Whisperer (2009) about his relationship with a herd of wild elephants and The Last Rhino published posthumously in 2012 about his efforts to save the rare northern white rhino from extinction by meeting with leaders of the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army. All co-written with author Graham Spense.  

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As a result of his experiences in Baghdad, as well as his ongoing restlessness over the abuses and degradation’s suffered by our environment and the animal kingdom, Lawrence enlisted the help of Barbara Wiseman, then Executive Director of a U.S. management consulting firm, to assist him with the formation of a unique, nonprofit, science-based and international organization dedicated to bringing effective, long-term solutions to our global environmental challenges. Together they coined the term “cooperative ecology” to describe the study of the mutual inter-dependency and cooperation of all life forms and the material world- what would become the basic principle of The Earth Organization.

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In 2003 Dr. Lawrence founded with Barbara Wiseman, The Earth Organization and it was renamed in his honor in 2012, following his sudden death.  With 24 chapters worldwide these continue to address his environmental and conservation concerns.  The mission of the New Jersey Chapter is to promote a better understanding of the environment and wildlife conservation through their various art programs.