Author: Katelyn Morris

An environmental disaster led a group of scientists to an amazing discovery. In a famous mountain range, they discovered a golden tulip, which became a symbol of ecological resilience and hope. The symbol is now part of BES history and its flag.

If you’ve ever seen a Bureau of Environmental Security (BES) uniform or patch, you’ve likely noticed our golden tulip. It’s simple, elegant, and full of meaning. I get asked all the time: why a tulip?

A Climate Disaster Changed Everything

The answer takes us back to the days after the Spike, the global methane disaster that changed everything. While studying the environmental damage in the Carpathian Mountains of Poland, a team of scientists from the European Union made an extraordinary discovery. They found a single wild tulip blooming in a rockfall beneath a retreating glacier. Its petals were a brilliant gold and unlike anything they’d ever seen.

The expedition, carried out under the Port Vila Treaty, was part of an early effort to assess post-disaster ecological conditions. That tulip, found where almost nothing else had survived, became a symbol of resilience and hope.

A Symbol Spreads Across the Globe

It didn’t take long for that symbol to spread. The golden tulip was adopted by the newly formed BES and soon appeared on patches, badges, and official documents. It’s a visual reminder of our mission: to protect the planet and restore what’s been harmed. Wearing it signals a quiet but powerful promise: to stand watch over Earth’s fragile ecosystems.

A Flag Inspires Critical Work

That promise now flies above BES outposts and field stations on our official agency flag. Designed by a talented artist working for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the flag features the golden tulip emblem centered on a deep forest-green field. The flag also displays our motto: “Terra supra omnia”, which mean “Earth above all”. The flag and motto reflect our international roots and the seriousness of our mission. Today, it’s more than a flag. It’s a banner of unity for those working on the front lines of environmental protection.

Whether you’re wearing it on your sleeve, pinning it to your pack, or waving it in the wind, the tulip reminds us that from loss, life can return. And protecting that life is what BES is all about.

Image: Wild Tulip (Tulipa sylvestris) Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Katelyn Morris is a public information officer, working in the Eugene, Ore., regional office. Using her sustainability marketing experience, she oversees the agency’s digital communications strategy and content creation.

For Immediate Release – Eugene, Ore., USA – The Bureau of Environmental Security (BES) has announced the appointment of Katelyn Morris as a Public Information Officer in its Public Engagement Office (PEO). Morris will lead digital communications and social media strategy for the Bureau, advancing public understanding of the Port Vila Treaty and the agency’s global environmental protection mission.

A Strategic Communicator

As part of the Public Engagement Office, Morris will manage and develop content for BES social media accounts, including BlueSky, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. She will also oversee updates to the official BES website and contribute to outreach materials, infographics, and blog articles that communicate the Bureau’s enforcement activities and environmental programs.

Background and Experience

Morris holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and communications from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business. Before joining BES, she served as a brand manager for a national cosmetics and lifestyle company, where she helped lead its transition toward a sustainability-focused message.

Her experience in brand development, public engagement, and digital storytelling will strengthen the Bureau’s capacity to share accurate, timely information with the public.

Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

Born in Bellevue, Wash., USA, Morris comes from a family deeply engaged in environmental advocacy. Known for her friendly and creative communication style, she combines professional expertise with a personal dedication to environmental justice and sustainable living.

“The Bureau’s mission reflects everything I care about,” Morris said. “I’m honored to help tell the stories of the people and programs protecting our planet. Communicating environmental progress clearly and honestly is how we inspire others to join the effort.”

Morris is based in the Bureau’s Pacific West regional headquarters in Eugene.

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Authorized and created by the Port Vila Treaty, the Bureau of Environmental Security is a supra-national agency tasked with planetary environmental protection, climate change arrest planning and strategy, and carbon law enforcement.

Col. Raleigh Penn has been appointed Commanding Officer of the Pacific West Sub-Zone of the Bureau of Environmental Security, bringing extensive experience to address critical environmental crimes challenges.

For Immediate Release – Washington, D.C. – The Bureau of Environmental Security is pleased to announce the appointment of Col. Raleigh Penn to the position of Commanding Officer of the Pacific West Sub-Zone of the North American Biosphere Management Zone. Col. Penn was appointed to the role at the recommendation of the US government under the Treaty of Port Vila. The Governing Board of the BES confirmed the appointment unanimously.

Minister: ‘A wealth of experience’

“Col. Penn brings a wealth of experience to this critical leadership position in the Bureau,” said Interior Minister Isabella Constantinou. “The Pacific West district faces an almost overwhelming number of environmental challenges as the planet copes with the ongoing climate crisis.”

Achieving a long-held dream

“My appointment to this position fulfills a long-held dream to serve the world community as it struggles with continuous disrespect for the environment,” Penn said. “I’ve assured Minister Constantinou that I will not rest until those who break the Carbon Laws and other environmental regulations are brought to justice.”

Distinguished military career

Col. Penn has more than 20 years experience as an investigator. Starting his career as a military police officer, he rose to deputy chief investigator of the army’s criminal investigations division (CID). Prior to his appointment, Penn worked as investigator in a private security firm that specialized in environmental crimes. In his new role, he will oversee nearly 200 investigators and technicians from the Pacific West headquarters in Springfield, Oregon, USA.

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Authorized and created by the Port Vila Treaty, the Bureau of Environmental Security is a supra-national agency tasked with planetary environmental protection, climate change arrest planning and strategy, and carbon law enforcement.