No one can suggest that Dave Foreman shies away from the
little controversy. The founder of Earth First!, Foreman is best remembered
for his 1990 arrest for conspiracy to commit eco-sabotage. In more recent years, he has emerged as one
of the leading proponents of the rewilding school of conservation, and is one
of the founders of the Rewilding Institute.
In my sophomore year of college, I had the opportunity to attend a lecture
by Foreman, one which completely changed my outlook on conservation forever.
In Rewilding North
America: A Vision for Conservation in the 21st Century, Foreman
describes the environmental situation in America. Many writers have described quite clearly the
negative ecological trends that the world has seen in recent years – and Foreman
sums these up plainly in the first section of his book – but few then go on to
offer what he does: hope. Hope, that is,
coupled with a specific blueprint for its realization.
At a time when conservationists are scrambling to hold onto
what little wilderness remains, Foreman challenges his readers to go on the
offensive. He envisions a North America
that is almost defined by conservation – chains of protected areas that link
wilderness areas from the Yukon to the Sierra Madre. Focusing on the large American carnivores –
the wolves, bears, and big cats – Foreman takes what seems like a ecological
pipedream and makes it seem realistic and tenable. When
you put down this book, you are literally struck with the awesome realization “It
could work…”
Foreman has little to say of zoos in his book, but perhaps
it is time that zoos had more to say about rewilding. Many (not enough, but many still) are involved
with at least some reintroduction programs, from black-footed ferrets to southern
brook trout. It's time to see
what good zoos and aquariums could do it restoring the ecosystems in their back
yard. Perhaps even more importantly, we
could do a better job of sharing these rewilding stories with visitors. I have seen dozens of jaguar exhibits at zoos
around the country, all of them set in Latin American jungles. When I talk to visitors about the jaguars at
our zoo, I don’t talk to them about Amazonia, I talk about Arizona – I tell
them that this is OUR American big cat, and about its recent reappearance in
the US. Guests are usually shocked.
Rewilding North
America is a book that is guaranteed to reinvigorate and reignite the
passion of the constantly defeated conservationist. After reading it, you become inspired to go
out, look around, and see what you can do yourself to make Foreman’s vision a
reality. That, perhaps, is the best part
of Foreman’s vision – it’s grassroots and it’s local. Americans are infamous for telling the rest
of the world – Africa, Asia – how to conduct their affairs, in conservation and
in virtually everything else. Perhaps we
should get our own house in order first.
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