Dave Foreman, longtime conservationist and current executive director of the Rewilding Institute recently wrote an article in which he states that the conservation movement in the U.S. is being watered down by anthropocentric concerns. Referring to Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus and others calling for the "death of environmentalism" (see http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2005/01/13/doe-intro/) Foreman asserts that the new brand of conservationists has lost sight of the importance of protecting nature for nature's sake. "Insofar as they consider Nature protection at all they demand that conservationists drop their priorities to focus on social justice and other anthropocentric progressive causes. Overall, they call on environmental organizations to essentially go out of business and just become part of the progressive wing within the Democratic Party. The overwhelming identification of environmentalism with the progressive movement and the Democratic Party is a key reason that it lacks credibility with much of the American public." His comments provide an opportunity to reflect on the purpose of conservation work that attempts to protect natural systems and wildlife from human degradation. How has this work been politically framed? Why has it been juxtaposed against human needs when we are all dependent on natural systems? What are the core values environmentalists hold that cross political lines?
Ariana
Spreading Roots, Spring Forth