Time for an uncomfortable conversation about nature conservation!

Alongside climate change, addressing the current biodiversity crisis is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. WWF’s Living Planet Report found that wildlife populations have declined by an average 69% in the past 50 years; and if you look at specific ecosystems the situation is even more alarming. During the same timeframe the planet has lost 83% of its freshwater aquatic life.

If we are to reverse this trend, all sectors will need to do more and nature conservation organizations will have a crucial role to play.

But are these conservation organizations equipped to deal with the challenge they are facing?

This is where my research comes in. I have spent almost half of my career working in conservation and I believe that if we are truly going to make progress, we need an environmental movement that is inclusive. Nature conservation has its roots in colonialism. A core part of the colonial project was the acquisition of new lands and natural resources to fuel industrialization. Colonialism transformed nature, creating new landscapes, new ecologies and new relations between humans and non-human nature. in the process, it created new ideologies of those relationships.

Decolonising nature conservation and the need for promoting rights-based approaches to conservation have been debated for more than a quarter of a century. While there have been some pockets of progress , these debates have yet to translate into meaningful change in the policies, power dynamics, and practices within the conservation sector. Decolonising conservation is a complex notion, and as such there isn’t a single definition, but scholars summarise five core tenets that need to be addressed to decolonise nature conservation. These include (1) placing nature conservation before people, (2) addressing the colonial and power dynamics associated with conservation projects, (3) failure to recognise the multiple values of nature, (4) decolonisation as a metaphor in conservation and (5) neoliberalism and capitalism as drivers for nature conservation.

 My research seeks to understand what forces or pressures are at play within nature conservation organizations that inhibit decolonising nature conservation. To answer the question, I will speak with individuals from an international conservation organization working on the frontlines of the conservation movement. These individuals will represent different geographies and roles within the organisation. The purpose is to understand what decolonising conservation means to them, what pressures they experience and the implications of these pressures for their work. You might be wondering how gaining an understanding on the issues above changes anything, well if a conservation organization takes a decision to decolonise its approaches it first needs to understand what that means in their context and where the most significant pressures are before making any interventions. The extent of the biodiversity crisis requires a social movement, one that is inclusive enough to inspire us to lend our voice to a cause that impacts everyone. Conservation organisations will have a role to play and need to address the barriers to progress that stem from its origin. This will require uncomfortable conversations and some bold decisions. I hope my research begins to shine a light on some of the challenges facing the sector and initiate a wider conversation on the topic.

*This blog was submitted for the 2023 Research Blog competition by Dean Muruven MSt Social Innovation.

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