Ep 2. A Community of Conservationists

Episode 2 of Hard Truths of Conservation's first season is titled "A Community of Conservationists," and it examines how communities can band together to make substantive changes to the environment around them.

At its core, conservation is about protecting natural resources for future generations. But conserving the environment is not always a cut-and-dry science. It's a complex social issue that requires cooperation and coordination of natural resource users, as well as the integration of communal perspectives. In this episode, the show looks at how conservation can be successful only if local communities participate.

The episode begins by examining the conundrum faced by conservationists: how to protect the environment while also addressing the many subsistence needs of the people who rely upon it. With financial instability often prevalent in many local communities, land-use practices can be so shortsighted that they can lead to the degradation of biodiversity and degrade the very resource upon which those livelihoods depend.

The episode follows several local residents who are working to make sure that proper conservation practices are implemented. Historically, conservation efforts have often pitted conservationists against communities, but the show demonstrates that conservationists need to be in partnership with these communities in order to be successful. In one of the segments, the episode follows a number of fishermen who are working with conservationists to protect their fishing grounds. The fishermen are being taught how to track catch levels, monitor breeding activities, and become more environmentally aware as conscious conservationists.

Another segment highlights the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, a Texas-based project that encourages a community-driven approach to conservation. The episode shows how this program has worked with citizens, business owners, fishermen, and other stakeholders to design custom solutions that ensure a safe and healthy ecosystem. Through this partnership, the community has been able to ensure that environmental protections are put into place that not only benefit the environment but also the community itself.

As part of the episode's focus on building community, the show also examines citizen science programs. Citizen science programs typically rely on members of the public to gather valuable data that can be used in conservation efforts. The data they collect enables scientists to study the impacts of human activities on the environment and to develop strategies to mitigate negative effects. In one case, the audience is shown how a group of citizen scientists are using a unique tracking program to help map the locations of snakes. Another segment focuses on the Citizen Science Alliance, which encourages people from all over the world to help with various scientific projects, ultimately contributing to a greater understanding of the natural world.

Throughout the episode, the importance of partnerships is emphasized. It is often not just about working within one local community but collaborating with others and working together to build initiatives that conserve the environment. Another segment of the show follows the work of the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation. It works with communities in Zambia and South Africa to establish and protect wildlife habitats. Through this collaboration, local communities have become significantly more attuned to environmental concerns and have become instrumental partners in various conservation initiatives.

The episode concludes with a summary of the importance of community and the collective power it can implement. The interdependence of environment and social strategies cannot be understated and can provide a better future for both the environment and for its inhabitants. The episode demonstrates once and for all that conservation is a collective journey and it's a journey that has been made more efficient through community action and collaboration.