Thoughts on a blog post I read

An old affiliate of mine has a blog that I recently rediscovered. As we no longer speak I don't comment on their blog posts. But one of their posts really got me thinking. You can read the original post here.

I don't know many enviro-folk that are "save the humans" type people. I think that those that talk about humanity along with environmentalism are individuals that realize that humans have to experience a reconnection with nature or they will never come around. Unfortunately, humans actively interact with virtually all ecosystems on this planet. Even in areas that receive very little human traffic we affect the ecosystem through acid rain, invasive species and a myriad of other effects. Some individuals claim that the earth is always changing and the changes that we see are little more than a normal part of nature's fluctuating state of being. Most people in the environmental movement (at least most that I have meet) feel that we are causing a greater rate of change, a greater rate of species extinction, than is normal. I agree with these individuals. Change may be normal but that does not mean that we have a right to hurry these changes a long. Particularly in favor of our ego- and anthro-centric selves. So, how do we create a societal shift from anthro-centric thinking to eco-centric thinking? Well, by considering humanity when we think about environmentalism. By thinking of ways to get people involved. To educate and inspire youth, the impoverished, people who experience environmental injustice on a regular basis and those on the fringes of society to get connected. To join our cause. To think outside of themselves. If we take care of the planet we will take care of each other and in many instances if we take care of each other we will take care of the planet. At least that is how I view things.

As for the issue of individual species campaigns and restoring habitat. Individual species campaigns often work, our society is drawn to charismatic species such as Siberian tigers and bald eagles. But there are many uncharismatic species that also need help, for example the devil's hole pupfish and vernal pool fairy shrimp. The only way that individual species restoration projects work is if those species are umbrella species. Or maybe a keystone species. Just conserving land for an individual species could exclude other species that would normally occur in that region or that would be a natural part of a successional event. Restoring or conserving habitat for the red tree vole for instance, will ruin habitat for meadow dwelling or dependant species. It is finding a balance between the needs of the species being restored/conserved and the needs of other species in that area that will be most important. Saving habitat for one species at the expense of others is not a successful way to manage, protect or restore natural ecosystems. Whole systems approaches are the most appropriate way to preserve, conserve and restore species, habitats and ecosystems.