Historically, conservation has been approached through a large-scale connectivity lens. However, this lens has ironically disconnected one of the most important factors that impact the health of nature: People. The scope and scale of human impacts on nature have been mostly negative in years past; however, this was not always the case. The harmony and balance that thoughtful stewardship brought to the land, as shown by native, indigenous, and tribal peoples, has helped, not hurt it.

The initial paths and systems that drove us towards conservation, like every system in American history, have been developed with unconscious biases rooted in harmful structures of power, privilege, and prejudice. This has led to putting people second, especially those already at the margins. Seeking to acknowledge, repair, and actively prevent these schools of thought, we are changing the approach. Community-Centered Conservation asks us to shift our responsibility towards putting people first, centering their needs and voices, and not assuming those needs are separate or disconnected from the needs of nature.

Honoring these roots, our Community-Centered Conservation Programs shed light not only on who is doing the conserving but also who does it benefit. When land trusts protect large acres of a biodiverse landscape, they build stronger ecosystems. But when they include and engage a broader diversity of people, they build stronger communities that, in turn, support those same ecosystems. To bring conservation to a wider audience, we start first by meeting them where they are. Through listening, learning, elevating, and amplifying where these communities fit in the conversation, we strengthen our efforts toward equitable perpetuity for all.