No exceptional painter is without a deeply-felt philosophy of life, and Paul, having spent so many years in the bush researching his subject, is well aware of the precarious balance of Africa's ecosystems, and has become a dedicated preservationist and conservationist. This is evidenced by his many contributions to the conservation organisations in South Africa.

A quiet, retiring man, Paul has always been firm in his conviction that the conservation of nature is absolutely vital to the conservation of humanity, a sentiment that the rest of the world is gradually coming to share.