Bringing Environmental Justice into Conservation and Stewardship Education (Neak Loucks)

U.S. Conservation movements have excluded histories, perspectives, and interests of marginalized communities, instead centering white, Euroamerican notions of nature, wilderness, and environment. While contemporary conservation communities now express desires for inclusion and equity, prevailing practices often perpetuate past patterns. One central component of conservation advocacy and education is the centering of ecological sciences to project an “apolitical” posture in highly-charged land management discourse. An Environmental Justice lens challenges this stance of political neutrality and infuses attention to justice/equity in conservation. This presentation shares examples from the Colorado Plateau of efforts to infuse EJ-sensibilities in conservation and stewardship education.