“Lions and tigers and bears”? Try: “Lions and bees and owls”!! OH MY!!!
If you’re a frequent reader of my humble little blog, you know there has been disproportionate focus on species of late. Never my intent! But the inescapable fact is that since launching my own shop last June, the overwhelming amount of urgent calls have been unanticipated and project-halting species issues. And the trend, if anything, is only increasing.
Several factors contribute, but the impact of the regulatory wave seems to dwarf the sum of the contributing parts. Preemptive backlash by California against perceived lessening protections out of Washington; logic-defying court blessing for listing insects notwithstanding clear statutory language (or lack thereof); litigation against the Department of Fish and Wildlife; attacks on decades-proven landscape conservation plans; and yet-to-be-felt state legislation that could make the current regulatory crush seem like a hangnail.
My deep dive on species dates back to the mid 2000s when I had the privilege of working with stakeholders of all perspectives to incent private sector embrace of landscape-scale, multi-species conservation programs. I could not be more proud of that work and the conservation fruits since.
What I fear now, however, is that the perceived weaponization of species conservation has the potential to alienate a critical sector essential to ultimate species recovery: private landowners. The need for collaboration and humility in appreciating the other “side” ’s priorities and imperatives has never been greater.
That’s what matters to me today in 250 words or less. What matters to you? I’d really like to know.