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PRINCIPLES

OF

CONSERVATION
Last modified April 18, 2004

Process for Approaching Consensus

Palliser's Country is based upon a concise list of fundamental beliefs. All interested persons are asked to review these principles of conservation action, and to offer constructive improvements if needed. The statements are worded in a practical way, to make them immediately relevant to the real world. It is hoped that efforts following these principles will produce benefit without conflict.

Principles for Conservation Action

Within this geographic region, many conservation initiatives are currently in progress. These range in scale from individual ranchers balancing their stocking rate with the unique situation on their land, right on up to the international efforts of the major government agencies. All of this work is important, but sometimes, other stakeholders are not considered adequately before decisions are made.

Both existing and future activities can be assessed with these principles in mind, and changes made where appropriate. The intention is to encourage self-evaluation. All participants will probably find areas for improvement.

1. Seek sustainability of all activities
The social, economic, and ecosystem components of the Great Plains depend on each other for survival. The support of one activity can only be achieved in conjunction with the others. The long-term economic and social stability of our human communities clearly depends upon maintaining a healthy environment.

2. Demonstrate mutual respect
Palliser's Country has a wide range of stakeholders, each with their interests and resources. Each stakeholder has a valid perspective, although some may be better able to defend their interests than others. Acknowledging other positions is the first and most important step to finding solutions that benefit all parties.

3. Sustain native biodiversity
All human activities in the region should maintain a large and stable number of native species using a variety of habitats. "Patches" of habitat should be connected to ensure genetic transfer. Protection of the native vegetation will help limit the spread of invasive species, ensuring that "weeds" make up a small proportion of both the biomass and number of species present. A moderate amount of disturbance through natural processes (erosion, fire, heavy grazing, flood) is beneficial to ensure that a full range of habitats are present.

4. Recognize that grazing is appropriate
The grassland community of the northern Great Plains has always included grazing animals. Grasses, broad-leafed plants and herbivores have evolved together and continue to require the presence of each other for long-term survival. Of course, the intensity of grazing must be monitored to ensure that an imbalance does not occur. It should also be recognized that all animals do not have the same effect on native vegetation, and each species will require unique management.

5. Provide incentives to encourage conservation action by landowners
Conservation organizations should help landowners provide conservation activities through encouragement, inducements, assistance and economic incentives. These actions are are widely practiced and widely accepted. Similarly, local decisions will be better supported than those brought from outside the area. Resource extraction and development activities that profit from the landscape should also contribute to prairie conservation.

6. Ensure that participation in conservation programs is voluntary
Conservation initiatives should bring benefits to existing landowners and the landscape, as well as wildlife. When this occurs, residents will be pleased to participate in conservation activities.

7. Maintain or increase the number of people (jobs) in each community
All stakeholders should consider their goals in terms of employment. New agricultural technology and conservation measures both have the potential to reduce the number of jobs available, but this does not need to happen. New sources of revenue, including conservation organizations and innovative agricultural marketing, should be sought to support the local economy.

8. Use partnerships to bring perspective and strength
Some problems are caused by an incomplete understanding of the broader situation. More communication between stakeholders will tend to reduce the problems. We should also remember that multi-party initiatives receive better support from politicians than isolated ventures.

9. Meet conservation and recreation needs on separate lands
Traditional parks try to conserve wildlife and provide recreation on the same land, leading to management problems. Furthermore, many landowners do not receive recognition for important conservation actions only because they do not allow public access. As an alternative approach, perhaps conservation goals can be achieved using a combination of public and private property. Recreation can be confined to public land, often removed from the prime conservation areas, unless the landowner specifically allows access.

10. Emphasize the use of ecological processes to re-establish a sustainable environment
North America's grasslands have evolved over millions of years and a wide range of climatic conditions to become a closely knit community. In just the last hundred years, human intervention has unbalanced this system, leading to an unstable environment. Theory suggests that restoration efforts should stress the re-establishment of the natural processes. Practicality agrees: natural forces are cheaper to use, can act over a wide area, and frequently provide many subtle interactions that cannot be duplicated by man.

Do these points seem like common sense to you?
If so, I hope that you will choose to get involved!

Click here to view the discussion of ecological processes on the Great Plains.

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