The Landscape Conservation Bulletin
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A bi-monthly service of the Network for
Landscape Conservation
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Dear Network Friends and Partners,
Over the past several months, I have had the pleasure to participate in an intensive Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) learning community along with Network Coordinating Committee members Loren BirdRattler, Project Manager of the Agriculture Resource Management Plan, Blackfeet Tribe; and Beth Conover, Director of the Salazar Center for North American Conservation, Colorado State University.
Generously funded by the S. D. Bechtel, Jr., Foundation and led by the
Center for Diversity and the Environment
, we have worked with similar teams from six other organizations to assess the conservation movement and our own work in the context of the history of systemic racism in the United States. As a Network, we have re-affirmed our commitment to conservation that is more broad-based, inclusive, and community grounded—indeed, we consider these foundational principles of collaborative landscape conservation. We look forward to sharing more thoughts anon, and welcome your own DEI stories.
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Emily M. Bateson
Network Director
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Indigenous Voices in Conservation
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Conservation Finance Resources and Advances
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Additional Landscape Conservation News
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Webinars & Additional Resources
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Banner photo: Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity learning community group shot
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Featured News
“The language comes from the land:” Increasing attention being paid to Indigenous voices in the conservation of our landscapes
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A heartening trend in landscape conservation is the increasing attention to the wealth of knowledge that Indigenous communities hold about the landscapes in which they live—and their essential role in leading efforts to conserve and steward these landscapes. Several recent articles highlight the importance of Indigenous voices in this realm. For instance,
Scientific American
reports on a bright spot in the recently released
United Nations report
on the unprecedented species extinction rates: the species decline is happening at a noticeably slower rate on Indigenous peoples’ lands. The report authors conclude that conservation practitioners should seek to learn from Indigenous communities—but also should seek to support the ongoing work of such communities. Elsewhere, two articles in
The Narwhal
explore the relevancy of traditional knowledge in understanding and stewarding complex ecosystems and landscapes.
In the first
, the author highlights a growing practice of western scientists moving beyond simply “consulting” with Indigenous communities to instead striving to “learn together” with such communities—a positive trend that has tremendous value from conservation and social justice perspectives.
In the second
, the importance of Indigenous-led stewardship is noted, with the Canadian government investing an additional $6.4 million to support the Indigenous Guardians pilot program which empowers local Indigenous people on the land to monitor and protect their traditional territories. It is increasingly clear that the inclusion of a diversity of perspectives is key to managing landscapes—and Indigenous voices, with their rich history and experience, are some of the most important voices on the landscape.
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Featured News
New resources and advances on innovative funding and financing strategies for accelerating the pace and scale of conservation
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It has long been recognized that the financial resources available are not sufficient to meet the scale of conservation need. Increasing attention has been placed in recent years on pursuing innovative funding and financing strategies to accelerate the pace and scale of conservation. The Conservation Finance Network has been a central hub for collecting best practices and lessons learned in this arena, and hosts a
Conservation Finance Toolkit
, with articles on specific topics added regularly to expand this knowledge resource. Just this month, a
Pay-for-Success Financing article
has been added to the Toolkit.
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The Cumberland Forest Project uses private
investment and impact capital to conserve 253,000
acres in Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
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Elsewhere, Wildlands and Woodlands has published a series of Conservation Finance briefs this summer, offering perspectives on the financial benefits and mechanisms of conservation in New England across a series of topics:
And, in an example of converting innovation into practice, The Nature Conservancy
recently announced
the
Cumberland Forest Project
in central Appalachia—at more than 250,000 acres, one of the largest conservation acquisitions ever in the eastern United States. This project represents a promising new model for large-scale acquisitions, as the deal was made feasible via support from private investors. As
a Reuters article notes
, over the next decade, TNC will manage the land to provide financial returns to these investors through sustainable timber sales, carbon offset credits, and—at the end of the decade—the eventual sale of the land with long-term or permanent management restrictions in place.
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A direct and compelling headline
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Additional Landscape Conservation News
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Headwaters Economics releases new analysis of county-level data on public land ownership across the United States, and compiles a series of essays on America’s public land impact on economy, demographics, and policies of communities.
At its 2019 Annual Meeting last month in Colorado, the Western Governors Association issued a policy resolution in support of wildlife corridors.
Wildlands and Woodlands launches a new landscape scenario planning tool that allows users to explore alternative land use futures for New England through 2060.
The Maine West initiative is using a new multi-sector regional mapping tool to utilize conservation as a broader community engagement vehicle.
Blog post explores the ways that conservation collaboratives emerge and take shape, and how formation affects over time collaborative membership and purpose—drawing distinction between “collective” and “competing” collaboratives.
The Nature Conservancy releases new case statement for the future of the Gulf of Mexico.
Monarch butterflies in the news, as researchers are calling out the importance of incorporating nature into cities to buoy pollinator populations.
Protecting forests to ensure clean, sustainable water supply:
Christian Science Monitor
article highlights how Whitefish—a small town in Montana—is turning to an approach that has been well established by large urban areas like New York City.
The Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group issues a brief that highlights “Rural Development Hubs” and integrated, systems-level approaches to thinking about rural economies, communities, and landscapes.
New IUCN publication highlights integrated spatial planning, and is intended to assist with the modernization of spatial planning to address biodiversity conservation and ecosystem resilience to climate change.
New report from the Institute for Sustainable Communities highlights insights and lessons learned from Regional Climate Collaboratives.
Highstead releases analysis of recent trends in foundation funding for land conservation in the Northeast.
A new report from the Natural Areas Conservancy and partners captures the results of a national survey of urban forested natural areas management.
At the recent 43rd Session of the World Heritage Committee, ICOMOS releases new report on increasing engagement of cultural heritage in climate action.
Final Report issued from the December 2018 Montana Wildlife and Transportation Summit.
Conservation Corridor
post highlights the importance—and challenge—of explicitly incorporating climate change into connectivity modeling.
Can jaguars sustain local economies?
The Revelator
article explores the potential for a restoration economy can replace an extractive economy in Arizona.
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A direct and compelling headline
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Upcoming Conferences & Opportunities
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Verona, NY
Point Clear, AL
Denver, CO
Chicago, IL
Raleigh, NC
Amherst, MA
New Orleans, LA
Silverton, OR
Jaipur, India
Marseille, France
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A direct and compelling headline
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Webinars & Additional Resources
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The Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program has released its
2019 Request for Proposals;
pre-proposals are due in mid-to late-August (different dates for different regions).
The Narwhal
has launched
Undercurrent
, an investigative podcast. Season 1 (6 episodes) captures
the story of Bear 148
, following the life and death of a female grizzly bear who ended up dying 450 km from her home range.
Recording of an America’s Rural Opportunity event, presented by the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group.
A Connected Conservation webinar
August 13, 2019
A Connected Conservation webinar
September 12, 2019
A Connected Conservation webinar
September 26, 2019
A Conservation Biology Institute Webinar
September 26, 2019
A new podcast from Wildlands and Woodlands that features stories from New Englanders about why and how they conserve land.
A weekly podcast that explores the challenges presented by adapting to climate change and the approaches the field's best minds believe are already working.
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The Network for Landscape Conservation is the community of practice for practitioners advancing collaborative, cross-boundary conservation as an essential approach to protect nature, culture, and community in the 21st Century.
Contributions of news, upcoming events, and resources for future Bulletins are welcomed. We also welcome inquires for future "Perspectives: Landscapes Conservation in Action" stories; please be in touch if you are interested in sharing stories and insights from your work.
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The Network for Landscape Conservation is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Large Landscape Conservation, P.O. Box 1587, Bozeman, MT 59771
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A direct and compelling headline
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