Tory MP Zac Goldsmith’s The Ecologist magazine has announced a ‘merger’ with Resurgence, one of the UK’s longest-running environmental titles.
A question mark hangs over the future of several London-based journalists on the Ecologist given that Resurgence is based more than 200 miles away in Devon.
Satish Kumar, who has edited Resurgence for the past 40 years, will take the “leading role” in the new title, which will be called Resurgence and the Ecologist.
Kumar said: “The situation is under review and the staff will be entering into a period of consultation to determine whether there will be any redundancies.”
Founded in 1970 by Edward Goldsmith (uncle of Zac), The Ecologist published its last print edition in July 2009 when it went online-only.
Zac Goldsmith was editor between 1998-2007 when he attempted to broaden its appeal beyond its academic roots to a wider newsstand audience.
When he was elected MP for Richmond Park in 2010 he stepped away from all editorial involvement in the title.
He said in a statement: ‘The Ecologist has been at the heart of the environmental movement for over 40 years and Resurgence has been in publication for the past 45 years and, as sister publications, they have always shared the same values.
‘The Ecologist has spearheaded social, scientific and political ecology while Resurgence has spearheaded cultural and artistic ecology. Now the time has come to bring these two aspects of the environmental movement together by merging Resurgence and the Ecologist.
“I am delighted that Satish Kumar, who has been editing Resurgence for almost 40 years, will be taking the leading role in the future. I stepped away from all editorial involvement after becoming an MP, and that won’t change.”
Kumar said in the same press release: ‘We are delighted to announce this merger which represents two strong environmental organisations joining forces. For a long time our publications have been closely associated.
‘Teddy Goldsmith and I worked together in 1972 and were the two environmentalists chosen to represent Britain at the first UN Environmental Conference. We worked together for many more years after that.”
Resurgence and the Ecologist will be published six times a year and be available in print and online from September.
Current subscribers to the Ecologist will receive a pdf copy of the joint publication six times a year.
Ecologist subscribers will retain access to the full Ecologist website. From late June they will also have online access to Resurgence magazine.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog
