Join the SCBNA Policy Committee for the third webinar in our series focusing on the North American Model for Conservation & the work of state wildlife agencies. This session will explore the concept of “conservation,” cultural shifts regarding conservation in the USA, and future funding for state wildlife agencies. For more information on our speakers, please continue reading below:
Presentation Topics & Speakers:
1) Words and Purpose Matter: What is “Conservation”?
Abstract: Disagreements over wildlife management often center on different perspectives of purpose and goals. Language used to describe purpose and set goals ought to be clearly defined and jointly understood among stakeholders and decision makers. Unfortunately, because language meanings differ, discussants often talk past each other, and consequently, consensus decisions rarely are reached, polarization among stakeholders grows, and agency progress grinds to a halt. Wildlife agencies would benefit by carefully defining key words and avoiding euphemisms. For example, I suggest redefining “conservation” — because of its paramount role in state wildlife agency work — with a contemporary purpose informed by current science, environmental contexts and the intergenerational connection to the public wildlife trust. This requires modifying the historic meaning that conservation is “science-informed actions to sustain the human use of resources,” the definition that remains operational for many agency managers, hunters and anglers. Such “wise use” definitions have limited agency purpose and from their adopting broader biodiversity goals. I offer a conservation definition for state wildlife agencies as a starting point for SCBNA discussion: *Conservation: Science-informed actions to preserve the health and resiliency of natural environments, safeguard the intrinsic value of non-human nature, and provide equitable benefits to current and future generations of people and other-than-human life. These actions include protecting and restoring air, soil, water, biological diversity, ecosystem processes and evolutionary potential*.
Fred Koontz, Retired State Wildlife Biologist & Policy Committee Member, SCB North America
Fred Koontz retired after a diverse wildlife career. He worked at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo while obtaining his Ph.D. in ethology from the University of Maryland. Appointments included: Mammal Curator and Science Resource Center Director, Wildlife Conservation Society; Vice President, Wildlife Trust (now EcoHealth Alliance); Adjunct Professor and founding member of Columbia University’s Center for Environmental Research and Conservation; and Vice-President of Field Conservation, Woodland Park Zoo (Seattle, WA). His field work focused on endangered species recovery, including projects in the U.S., Latin America, Africa and Asia. From 2011 to 2022, Fred collaborated with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife on nongame and habitat recovery, and in 2021 he served on the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission. Fred currently serves as Board President of Wildlands Network, as an Advisory Committee Member for Wildlife for All, and as a Fellow at PAN Works, an ethics think tank dedicated to animal wellbeing.
2) The North American Model in the Context of Cultural Shift in the U.S.
Abstract: Policy institutions are a reflection of social values. In that regard, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is consistent with the prevailing utilitarian ideology of the time-period in which it was born. A century ago, wildlife were for harvest, and access was for all, not just the elite. Yet a remarkable transition of values in the U.S. has led to broad-based social change. This shift has created division and turmoil over topics ranging from presidential elections to how we manage wildlife. The shift was driven by the remarkable economic growth and subsequent modernization following World War II. It has changed the needs of people and the broad goals (i.e., values) that direct their behavior. In the case of wildlife management in North America, change was noticeable beginning in the 1970s when participation in hunting and fishing started to decline, a trend that has persisted to the present day. Our research shows that, at root, this change occurred due to a fundamental shift in values toward wildlife, from domination (animals are for human use) to mutualism (animals are part of our social community). The shift is associated with modernization and varies by state. In consideration of the implications of this change, we examined the broad array of benefits across different segments of the public that arise through human interactions with wildlife. The challenge for wildlife agencies will be in how to retain a consumptive focus while also embracing new programs and services that attend to the diversity of interests and desired benefits of the American public. Such a response is consistent with democratic principles and critical for creating a broad-based constituency, supportive of wildlife conservation, in the future.
Michael Manfredo, Professor, Colorado State University
Dr. Michael J. Manfredo is a Professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. He was Department Head there for 25 years, transitioning the program from recreation to its current social science focus. His research, teaching, and outreach activities focus on the role of social science in natural resource management. His theoretical focus is on applying attitude and value theory to conservation issues and advancing social science interdisciplinarity. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in a wide variety of natural resource journals such as Nature Sustainability, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He was the founding co-editor of the journal Human Dimensions of Wildlife. He co-edited several books including Wildlife and Society: The Science of Human Dimensions, which received The Wildlife Society Award for Best Edited Book in 2008. He is also author of the book Who Cares About Wildlife: Social Science Concepts for Exploring Human-Wildlife Relationships and Conservation Issues. He introduced the ongoing “America’s Wildlife Values” assessment and is currently leading a group of 30+ scientists who are doing a global assessment of biodiversity values.
Tara Teel, Professor, Colorado State University
Dr. Tara L. Teel is a Professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at Colorado State University (CSU). Her work focuses on improving conservation decision-making through understanding human thought and behavior and building social science capacity among conservation professionals. Much of her research has been devoted to examining human-wildlife relationships in the U.S. and globally, with a particular focus on employing concepts and methodologies from social psychology to study human values toward wildlife, attitudes and behaviors toward wildlife-related issues, and the social factors underlying human-wildlife conflict. She works closely with conservation agencies and organizations in the application of social science to inform their planning, management, and communication efforts. She also served as President of the Social Science Working Group of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) 2009-2014. She has organized a number of social science trainings for practitioners, including a human dimensions certification program for wildlife professionals in North America, social science short courses for SCB annual meetings, and a training program emphasizing best practices in protected area management and conservation social science for forest service officers in India. Professor Teel received her Ph.D. in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from CSU and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Utah State University.
3) State Wildlife Agency Funding: How can we ensure funding for all wildlife and all people?
Abstract: State fish and wildlife agency budgets fall vastly short of the needs of wildlife. Nearly all agencies still rely on hunting and fishing user fees, instead of support from all citizens who all benefit. It is time for greater and more diversified funding. Only then can our agencies fully meet the needs of all wildlife and all its citizens. Several states serve as models and we will explore the limits of current funding and recommend a path towards robust, reliable, diversified and public financing.
Naomi Edelson, Senior Director, Wildlife Partnerships, National Wildlife Federation
Naomi is an inspirational leader in the wildlife conservation community who is gifted at building movements of people inspired to action. She is respected for convening coalitions and motivating teams for success, as well as being an innovator in the field, creating new practical tools and expert guidance. As Senior Director for Wildlife Partnerships at National Wildlife Federation, she leads their partnerships with state wildlife agencies and other state based partners to secure greater funding to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered, including legislative, communications, grassroots and coalition building elements of the campaign. On the federal side this includes the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act campaign (www.nwf.org/recoveringamericaswildlife). Naomi has also developed a toolkit for wildlife leaders on “Strengthening State Wildlife Agencies” (http://statewildlifetoolkit.nwf.org/) that includes securing state-level funding for wildlife with numerous tips, tools, and case studies. She led efforts with state and federal wildlife and natural resource agencies to incorporate climate change into their conservation planning. This included creating and co-leading three expert work groups including natural and nature-based features for resiliency, climate-smart conservation, and vulnerability assessment which led to award-winning guidance reports and associated trainings. She developed the first climate change adaptation webinar series for natural resource managers in partnership with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Before working with NWF, Naomi raised more than $1 billion U.S. dollars in new conservation funding through her work as the Teaming with Wildlife Director at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. She initiated and directed all aspects of Teaming with Wildlife, a national grassroots coalition of more than 6,000 groups focused on securing federal funding for state-level wildlife conservation.
Naomi is a wildlife biologist with a M.S. from the University of Florida where she studied wading birds and wetlands, and a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
*Moderator
Bernie Traversari, Director of Operations & Programs, SCB North America
Bernie’s background includes research in developmental ecology and amphibian conservation and positions in non-profit leadership, community outreach, and science education. Before joining SCBNA, Bernie served as the Director of Science Outreach at Edgewood College in Madison, WI, where he led the development and implementation of community-based science education programs for underrepresented communities across the state. He is also Board Vice President of the Urban Learning Collaborative, a Milwaukee-based non-profit aimed at training the next generation of K-12 educators. Bernie is passionate about connecting scientists with community leaders, grassroots organizations, and students of all ages through his role at SCBNA, all in an effort to protect our natural world. Bernie received a B.S. in Biology from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, and an M.S. in Biology from Washington State University. He lives and works in Milwaukee, WI with his wife and their cat.
