Celebrating World Nature Conservation Day with The Nature Conservancy 


Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Photo by David Marcu

9 august ‘22

5  minutes

#COVERSTORY


To celebrate World Nature Conservation Day, we had the delightful opportunity to interview Karen Tharp from The Nature Conservancy and learned more about their missions and hope for how we can all work together to protect the future of both the planet and its inhabitants.




Words by Emma Hastie


Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Image source: @nature_org


To celebrate World Nature Conservation Day on July 28th, we had the opportunity to interview Karen Tharp, the Director of Nature Allies, which is the volunteering and community outreach programming sector of The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy “was founded in the U.S. through grassroots action in 1951,” and “since then, it has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.” With special “thanks to more than a million members and the dedicated efforts of our diverse staff, volunteers and over 400 scientists, we impact conservation in 76 countries and territories: 37 by direct conservation impact and 39 through partners,” explained Karen. When it comes to discussing what makes The Nature Conservancy stand out from other organizations, Karen expressed how the conservancy is “proud of [their] grounding in rigorous science” and how they “take innovative conservation approaches from idea to impact” and scale their operation “to achieve systematic change.” Their “science constantly pushes the practice of conservation forward” through exploring topics “from coral reef resilience to fire ecology, from energy siting to how nature can improve livelihoods,” and more. “Through our work with an extensive network of global partners, The Nature Conservancy is positioned to take action on the most complex challenges facing the planet.”


Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Photo by Alexander Shcimmeck


Maintaining Missions 

As for the values of The Nature Conservancy, their main mission “is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends,” while emphasizing that “it’s never been more crucial than right now” to take action. The Nature Conservancy also has “a set of ambitious goals to achieve with [their] partners by 2030, that will shape a brighter future for people and our planet.” These goals “include conserving ocean and land, supporting local stewards, and reducing or storing co2 emissions.” Karen also added that “how we do our work is just as important as what we do.” When it comes to maintaining these values and goals, their “staff and scientists are working on projects all over the world in service of these goals,” and their “approach reflects decades of learning and refining…the special role The Nature Conservancy can play side-by-side with partners, communities, and decision-makers across the globe.” 



Valuing Diversity 


“Just like a diversity of plants, animals and natural communities makes our land and waters healthy and resilient, a diversity across our human communities gives us strength and resiliency,” and this diversity is what The Nature Conservancy truly values. They “believe conservation is best advanced when diverse teams, partners, and local communities are working together to better understand and protect our planet.” What we are going to do in these coming years “will determine the future of all life on earth,” and “together we will find a way” to protect the planet and all of its inhabitants. 

Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Image source: @nature_org

Image source: @nature_org

Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Image source: @nature_org

Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Image source: @nature_org

Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Image source: @nature_org


Taking Action 


“What we do between now and 2030 will determine whether we slow global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius—the level scientists agree will avoid the worst impacts of climate change—while also conserving enough land and water to slow accelerated species loss.” In order to “limit further warming and the dangers it poses,” we must act now and focus on the tasks outlined by Karen and The Nature Conservancy: 

1.Enhancing nature’s ability to draw down and store carbon across forests, farmlands and wetlands by accelerating the deployment of natural climate solutions.

2.Mobilizing action for a clean energy future and new, low-carbon technologies.

3.Building resilience through natural defenses such as restored reefs, mangroves and wetlands that reduce the impact of storms and floods.

4.Restoring and bolstering the resilience of vulnerable ecosystems like coral reefs and fostering healthier, sustainable fisheries and working lands in cooperation with individuals, partners and industries.

5.Continuing to sustain natural diversity by conserving lands, rivers and oceans at unprecedented scale.

6.Collaborating with partners to connect communities with opportunities to access nature to build a stronger relationship to the natural world.

7.Helping countries around the globe implement and enhance their commitments to the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. 

Over the years since their establishment in 1951, The Nature Conservancy has “protected more than 119 million acres of land and 5,000 river miles” and operates “more than 100 marine conservation projects globally.” “Through it all, we have remained rooted in science, and over the last 70 years, the need for conservation efforts has unfortunately only grown,” described Karen. “Nature is our life support system” and “we need nature more than ever to build resilience for a warmer, more crowded world.” We need to recognize that “trees and native plants cool our cities and act as a sponge storing excess water during storms, oyster reefs and seagrasses provide a buffer on our coastlines protecting coastal communities, and native wildflowers and plants provide the habitat critical to wildlife and native pollinators.” These are only a few of the ways in which nature constantly supports us. “To take care of this planet we must also take care of each other and that means a community-centered conservation approach that works in alliance with a diversity of partners to support both biodiversity and social equity and human health” because at the end of the day “everything is connected.”







Connecting Sustainability 


When it comes to the notion of sustainability, The Nature Conservancy believes in “a world in which nature and people can thrive together.” Their “goal is to create a new vision for the planet—one powered by a virtuous cycle, where we take care of nature so that nature can take care of us.” “Nature provides us [with] food, water, clothing, medicines, everything we need” and “through the act of reciprocity, we are restoring the earth and rebuilding our relationship to the living world and with each other.” All around the globe, “people are moving into cities at a faster rate than ever…and cities are in a precarious position” and “at the mercy of floods, droughts…storms” and more because of this rapid growth. The Nature Conservancy recognizes “that nature can help cities manage the challenges they face” and “in collaboration with partners, we are mobilizing people to serve as allies for nature through volunteerism and community engagement to build stronger relationships between people and nature resulting in healthy, more equitable lands, waters, and communities.”

 

Learn about The Nature Conservancy's mission with their Nature Allies' director, Karen Tharp.

Image source: @orcaconservancy

Image source: @nature_org

Image source: @nature_org

Image source: @nature_org



 Getting Involved

“The world is facing parallel crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, and we have years, not decades, to right the ship” and “each of us has a choice to make” because “we must act now…the world we depend on depends on us.” There are many ways to get involved and make a difference. “Donating to an environmental organization…is a great step, but you can also volunteer your time.” Plus, “most volunteer activities don’t require experience and all ages and abilities are welcomed,” so “everyone has a role to play.” When it comes to volunteering for The Nature Conservancy, volunteers can help “to restore native habitat by planting native plants and trees, removing invasive plants, collecting native seed and monitoring the water, air and wildlife.” Volunteers can also help to “build and maintain trails, pick up litter, lead tours and youth programs, assist in our offices, conduct research, and provide skills and pro bono expertise for multiple projects.” Check out their volunteer page on their website to find “opportunities or find an organization in your community to give back to nature.” You could also “take a virtual field trip and find other digital resources on [their] Nature Lab website to teach…children and grandchildren about the importance of conserving our planet’s natural resources.”


Now “if you are an explorer or a scientist at heart, consider downloading the iNaturalist app” that allows you “to explore your backyard or local nature space” in a new way! “Each time you spot a new species, you simply take a picture with your phone and submit the sighting” and then this “information will help the scientific community understand the biodiversity that exists at various locations across our planet.” 



“Cutting your carbon footprint is also a great way to help the environment” and there are calculators online such as the one included on The Nature Conservancy’s website that can “help you map your personal carbon footprint and see where you can cut.” Plus, “you can also participate in our Plant-a-Billion tree program that’s helping to restore global forests” and “planting trees in someone’s name makes a great gift–for you or a loved one!” “One of the simplest things you can do is speak up: Tell your policy makers that you care about climate change and want to see them enact laws and policies that address greenhouse gas emissions and climate impacts.” Also, “talk about climate change with family and friends.”


There are many ways you can get involved and choices we make today determine what our future entails. Together we can make a positive change and protect our planet, its inhabitants, and our future. To discover more about The Nature Conservancy, click here. 





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