Conservation is America’s birthright. As we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary, it is notable that among the many concepts America has given the world, conservation ranks among the most consequential.
Today, however, the tools and approaches that powered previous eras of American conservation are straining under the weight of new challenges.
Our public lands face a growing maintenance crisis, while slow-moving processes stymie the actions needed to conserve and restore them to health. Private lands, where most of America’s at-risk wildlife species are found, remain largely outside the country’s predominant conservation framework. And top-down decisions from Washington often lead to conflict rather than durable solutions.
These challenges demand that we look back at how we arrived here and, more importantly, look forward to what comes next. Just as America’s conservation practices evolved through distinct eras to meet the problems of each age, now is the time to design and implement new tools that fit the needs of our time.
