further email on this:
Not long after I wrote of conservation being boring and out of touch came news of angry villagers felling trees at So Lo Pun.
And I thought, there you are: prime example of the gulf between conservation ideas in city offices, and what’s needed in places.
Yeah, so there are some wicked people in village areas at times; some greedy business folks around.
But also, there’s genuine anger; not so surprising if people with land are told they can do almost nothing with it, and no plans to help them [or pretty close to none; disdain for villagers not so handy].
Should be better than this. More common ground.
Just read long article on “new conservation” – inc approaches of big conservation organisations, worldwide.
Essentially, shift to more nebulous things like ecosystem services” which seem jolly good, but capture no one’s imagination.
I started in conservation with grounding in era such as with “Save the Whales” – a popular clarion call making its way onto badges, t shirts etc.
Seemed upbeat, popular.
“somewhat raise the carbon sequestration potential” hardly has same appeal.
– and so, conservation withers even as it’s more important than ever.
That big article concludes:
“we can still ask: is what we’re doing working? Are we changing hearts and minds? Are we fighting the good fight? Will species be alive tomorrow that wouldn’t be here if not for our efforts? Or have we somehow lost our way — did we go astray somewhere — and if so how do we get back on track? After all, life is at stake.”
https://news.mongabay.com/2016/04/big-conservation-gone-astray/