The Future of Conservation in America by Gary E. Machlis;Jonathan B. Jarvis; & Jonathan B. Jarvis

Author:Gary E. Machlis;Jonathan B. Jarvis; & Jonathan B. Jarvis [Machlis, Gary E. & Jarvis, Jonathan B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Incorporate strategic intent and the long view into every action, conflict, or crisis

Every day there are events, media stories, court proceedings, environmental crises, political decisions, and individual and agency actions affecting the American landscape. While these individual occurrences may seem disconnected or episodic, each presents an opportunity to apply strategic intent to bolster the future of conservation. Too often, conservation advocacy organizations stumble from each defensive action to the next or tout singular achievements (however worthy), focusing on relatively short-term wins and losses. Incorporating strategic intent into conservation action is not simply the creation of a vision statement, annual plan, or other organizational device. These are certainly necessary, but what is crucial is the commitment to identify how each individual action in the present can contribute to conservation in the long view. The future of conservation requires that leaders devote skill, time, energy, and funds to well-planned and intentional actions for the long view—actions that create critical momentum for future advances.

Every occurrence, however devastating, can present a juncture for action. Hurricanes can result in human and economic tragedy, yet their aftermath creates an opening for public conversations about using conservation practices (such as “green infrastructure”) to mitigate future storms, sea level rise, and climate change. Popular writing on the scientific contributions of women and minorities (as recently chronicled in bestselling books and films such as The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Hidden Figures) reveal stories of discrimination that present fresh opportunities to build relevancy to new communities.5 Innovative experiments in public education provide openings to integrate field experiences and conservation into childhoods and to engage parents as well. Each conservation struggle regardless of outcome carries a lesson that needs to be analyzed carefully, told accurately, and shared without malice, so as to inspire advocacy for the next conflict that will surely arise.

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