A New Conservation Politics (ePub)

Despite many successes in the field of conservation, species
extinction rates continue to climb and wild areas and habitats
continue to be lost. Many look to more (or better) biology and
ecology to solve the problem but the obstacles are not just
scientific but political. To stop the 6th great extinction the
conservation movement must become much stronger, more tenacious,
and more effective. By learning from its own history and especially
from the movements that abolished slavery, brought down apartheid,
changed gender relations, and expanded democratic rights,
conservationists can become more successful.



This book brings together in one place and in a highly usable
format the lessons of those movements culled from practitioners and
academic analysts.

"Protecting Earth's rich web of life, and our only known living
companions in the universe, depends upon people caring enough to
act. This book shows conservationists how to evoke the caring and
action necessary to change policy and ultimately society." Paul R
Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University
and author of The Dominant Animal: Human Evolution and
the Environment

"This timely book by David Johns explains why facts alone
don't motivate and mobilize people to care for the natural
world. Even better, Johns spells out what will work, based on a
frank and informed assessment of human nature applied to social and
political movements. If you would rather see change than be right,
this readable and authoritative guide should be your bible."
Michael Soulé, Professor Emeritus, Environmental Studies,
University of California, Santa Cruz

"For me, this is a truly fascinating book. I spend much of
my time writing--trying to write the stories we need to tell--and
the rest of it helping run national and global mobilizations on
climate change (Step It Up and now target="_blank">350.org). I think David Johns has done a
tremendous job of linking together insights about useful rhetoric
and very practical notions about organizing. If you're trying to
save a river, a forest, or a planet you need to read this
book." Bill McKibben, Scholar-in-Residence, Middlebury
College