Conservation Realist

Main point: read "The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions" (published 2017) by Jason Hickel, especially if you're from the Global North. The Global North's harmful legacy on the Global South is substantially more extensive, purposeful, and entrenched in international structures than I had previously realized - with important implications for conservation.

I've heard people boldly proclaim: "If you're going to work with small-scale fishing communities, you have to eat fish." Hmm... no. Not true. But there certainly are important caveats/exceptions and considerations! In this "Advice" episode, I dive into this admittedly niche topic for any vegetarian young researchers who are wondering if they can maintain their values while doing fieldwork. I've been a vegetarian for 18 years, and worked with small-scale fisheries for 17. I've been just fine.

Story time, sort of, from fieldwork. The Moken, and indigenous groups that have a lifestyle so deeply connected to nature, inspire widespread fascination. That's fair. The problem is when we let that obscure their reality as actual human beings with rights and struggles. Some insights from a field visit back in 2017 to learn how the Moken and other stakeholders perceived the process of establishing Myanmar's first LMMAs.

A fascinating chat with one of my most important mentors, Dr. Louella Dolar, matriarch of marine mammal research in the Philippines. Wild adventures in the field, the important role of social workers in the establishment of marine sanctuaries in the 1980s, the outlook for conservation in the Philippines, and her boundless curiosity and tenacity - all in one conversation.

A more personal post/episode to ease us into Season 2: reflections from my recent work/play trip to Southeast Asia, and the readily observable onslaught of overdevelopment and overtourism, mining, and plastic debris, but also, inspiration and natural beauty. And a terrible beach read, but a great book.

Well, folks, I'm back! And I have several weeks' worth of content prepared. I'm excited to dive back in and to go deeper than before, with a new structure to this newsletter/podcast/online entity and an upcoming training program linked to this entire endeavor: Conservation Sense.

I'd love to hear & learn from you, so I'll be doing more to solicit your insights throughout this process!

Oh hello! I'm back - in Southeast Asia (for now), and also to posting new episodes! Starting with these thoughts:

* Being able to travel to other countries to conduct research is a privilege - and this needs to be appreciated mindfully, and matched with responsibilities

* Making a meaningful impact is more possible than we often assume

* Contributing to a thriving community of colleagues is one of the most important things we can do in conservation

* How can those of us who are relatively privileged better fulfill our responsibilities as researchers and as humans? (sorry, I have no definitive answer, but things I would love for more people to think about)

This is the last episode of Conservation Realist for this first season (whatever it is I mean by “season”). I’d hoped to feature a chat with my brother, nonspeaking autistic advocate and writer Danny Whitty, but he has been really struggling recently and is needing to focus on getting himself rested and feeling okay again. Instead, I share how my work in conservation has been shaped by my experiences with him, and how my time in the field has shaped me into being a better support person and ally for Danny and other nonspeakers. I aim to build training courses to teach the skills and perspectives I've picked up in these experiences, connected with Season 2 of the podcast in 2024. I'm so proud to have finished Season 1, and I am so thankful you've joined!

I am very glad to bring you this episode, episode 18 - it is a special compilation from most of the interviews conducted over this first season. It features my guests’ responses to these three rapid fire questions:

(1)  What is one thing that would improve how conservation functions or what is one thing that would make your day-to-day work in conservation easier?

(2)  What is an unsung idea that you'd like to see get more recognition in the field, or who is an unsung hero you'd like to see get more recognition in the field?

(3) What is one of your top pieces of advice for aspiring or younger conservationists?

Now, anyone of the guests probably could have given a whole talk on each of these questions, but it was a really nice way to wrap up each conversation, just having a quick summary of their thoughts on these issues.

I think it's nice to get kind of a cross-section of the people who were featured in this first season. It seemed like a nice way to kind of wrap up the season and revisit the voices that we've heard from.

And I so very sincerely appreciate the time, energy and wisdom shared with me by each and every one of these guests during this first season!

A conversation with a good friend, Mark de la Paz! One of the most (too) humble people working in dolphin conservation, he's run a long-term research and conservation project for Irrawaddy dolphins in the Philippines - only to face threats to their critical habitat (and his own safety) with plans for a major bridge across the Guimaras Strait. He shares how he's processing this difficult experience, and more of his perspectives from his work there and in his PhD research on finless porpoises in Japan. Thank you, Mark!

KEY POINTS:

* Long-term work with communities on Irrawaddy dolphin conservation in Negros Occidental, Philippines

* And how that work was threatened – and paused out of safety concerns – due to big infrastructure development plans

* The serious risks of working in environmental activism in the Philippines

* Processing the difficulties of conservation work and still remaining hopeful

* The vastly different conservation contexts between Philippines and Japan

* The move from one frustrating species (Irrawaddy dolphins) to an even more frustrating species (Finless porpoises)