How Do They Do It?!

(good conservation, that is) 

Volunteer scientists, advocates, and "people persons" only thrive together.

Human communities, like ecosystems, need diversity to function well. "Diversity" in this case includes a number of different kinds of folks with varied abilities and roles. Given our culture as it is, some may come easiest to some extroverts, or some introverts, or some women, or some men, or to seasoned elders, or to impassioned youth.

A thriving community is powerful and self-sustaining. People contribute what they’re best at and most want to do. For an eco-stewardship community, or a religion, or institution to succeed, many types of leadership are needed. The skills needed for saving biodiversity and planetary health (see Endnote 1) are worth studying and cultivating.

A diversity of skills and interests is what our species has evolved for.

Four skill sets (or four types of people) are described below. Our species evolved as hunter-gatherers – not as rugged individualists. Only groups survived. One member had to be a good hunter, another a good tool-maker, another adept at maintaining group harmony, another at plant identification skills (for food and medicine), another for remembering where the group needed to travel to find food or safety. Is that not why we are born today with such different potentials?

All four of the following abilities can be present, to some degree, in one person. But to work at full throttle, groups need to recognize complementary potentials in many people who join forces compatibly.

There are many variations on how this works. We need to get better at it. Many important Nature Preserves badly need help. Often some dedicated person will have the idea and get the word out, and the various divisions of labor will emerge as other people see need and opportunity.

1. People with Science skills: Botany Buffs and other Nature Enthusiasts  

Many “science types” can’t lead well but readily team with those who can. Some experts on technical matters are inexpert (to put it mildly) at interpersonal dynamics. Many become professionals. Others are so autonomous that they thrive best in their spare time as brilliant photographers, or horticulturalists, or taxonomists on sedges, beetles, mushrooms, birds, or whatever. About independent amateur scientists, the respected psychologist Oliver Sacks wrote:

“This sweet, unspoiled, preprofessional atmosphere, ruled by a sense of adventure and wonder rather than by egoism and a lust for priority and fame, still survives here and there, it seems to me, in certain natural history societies, whose quiet yet essential existences are virtually unknown to the public.”

Then Dr. Sacks (in On The Move, Knopf, 2015, page 330) treks off with a volunteer fern group, all of them happily finding and identifying rare ferns.

Volunteer stewards have helped create a new field, with the advantage of being pre-professional in an important discipline as it comes into existence. And yes, we knew that, in time, the purity of the passion would be challenged by egotisms, competitions, and ultimately bureaucracies and hucksterisms. But in communities, the fervor survives. 

Many types of expertise and perspective best inform our decisions.

Other posts on this blog are rich with accounts of inspiring volunteer leaders like John Navin  Lisa Culp Musgrave, and Robert Betz. Professor Betz, professionally he was a biochemist. But he is not known for accomplishments in that field. He lives today as an exemplar of passionate volunteer leadership.   

2. People with Practical Skills: “Let’s Get Things Done!”

A plant expert may consult with an animal expert when goals are translated into actions. 

These folks seem easier to describe. Everyone automatically depends on them to assure that we have practical plans, that we don’t waste time on dead ends, that everyone stays safe. These folks are often the best ones to coordinate with landowners and bureaucrats. They’re down-to-earth problem solvers.   

Often these people are good at facilitating others so that they will:

• Keep tools in good repair
• Teach skills
• Send reports to landowner staff
• Get media coverage to attract more folks
• Bring treats
• Identify questions where practical research could improve results. Design the experiments and keep the needed records to make it happen. 

We put doom and gloom in the past ... and then celebrate. 

3. Advocates 

Easy to go wrong here. Early environmentalism was big on protest. Long term biodiversity conservation depends on positivity and even (brace yourself) compromise. 

Some advocates can sometimes usefully be protestors. Challenging authorities is often important and good (consider Rachel Carson). But as a general rule, protestors are short-term and on the losing side. They may promote the beginnings of change, but – from national to local levels – in the long run the the ecosystem and the planet needs lasting effort “at the table” where decisions get made. 

Ecosystem recovery is typically not amenable to quick fixes. Forces of good care need staying power – at least for many years – ultimately for centuries. From global to village questions, grass roots buy-in is key. At some level, all groups need strategy, politics, consensus building, and timing. The “consensus building” part is key throughout.

The advocate is someone who sees potential roadblocks and opportunities, and then acts. How do we change counterproductive statewide herbicide regulations? How do we stop fly-dumping in this prairie? Is there some dramatic initiative that would result in the general public prizing biodiversity? A consensus of love for and understanding of the planet and our future is needed.   

4. People persons. 

Human potential facilitators. Glueballs. There’s got to be a better name for this category. 

Facilitators of team spirit? A group needs one or more people who everyone wants to be with. Many times such people stay in the background and are little noticed for their profound impacts. Other good leaders are wise to appreciate them, learn from them, and chip in some of the same kind of work.

These people do what they do because they appreciate or love other people and are committed to the cause. Sometimes their job is to notice that two possibly-a-bit-shy people would hit it off productively ... and just introduce them with a few words that could point them in the right direction. Sometimes they’ll notice a potential for misunderstanding and clear it up. Often they know their power, but don’t let on, because they know that would work against their valuable purpose. At other times, such people become the principal leader – although they try to minimize the “big leader” dynamic. 

And how about the people who don’t fit any of these categories but make substantial contributions? See Endnote 2 for them.  

We learn and exchange ideas ... as we gather seeds to broadcast ... after we cut malignant brush. 

Summary

In midwestern North America, agencies (government and not-for-profits) own the land most important to biodiversity. Thus, conservation volunteers and professionals must work together well. To do that, the volunteer organizations need to maintain their independent strength. (See Endnote 2.) Volunteers who “sit around waiting for someone to tell them what to do” will not by themselves have the creativity or leadership needed. This post tries to define some of the components necessary for volunteer communities to flourish effectively. Learning to be good at this may be crucial to the future of the planet.  

End Notes

Endnote 1. Examples from Audubon, Jefferson, and Mandela.

Saving the planet's biodiversity may be the most crucial and irreversible challenge of this age. To succeed, we need not-for-profits, government institutions, local volunteer communities, and more. National conservation organizations discover opportunities, change directions, rise and fall. One of this post's authors (Packard) has held leadership roles in The Nature Conservancy and the National Audubon Society. The Conservancy may change direction based in part on the views of super-wealthy board members (whose huge support allows the Conservancy to do huge things). State and National Audubon Societies may change direction based in part on unruly local chapters (with internal battles sometimes seeming to benefit from inspiring passions). Local organizations, untrammeled by national ones, may sometimes be the consistent "heart and soul" of the mission. 

Most of the members were then volunteers when we began the Natural Areas Association (NAA) (1974) and the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) (1988). That changed. Bill Jordan, editor of an influential early journal (Restoration and Management Notes), warned us at the time that his dad had seen what happened to idealism, decades earlier, during the formation of the societies of foresters and ecologists. He compared the process to the American Medical Association. It started as a few generous and visionary medics working toward public health and inexorably evolved into a self-interest vehicle for rich doctors. That’s not to say that it doesn’t do much good. But it’s no longer mostly about generosity, vision, and public spirit. And it does some bad. Both SER and NAA began with the loftiest of ideals and have become something like labor unions, which have a valuable place in society, but may focus narrowly. In some ways, we volunteers can do more. 

For a sustainable and healthy Earth, the changes needed may be as fundamental as those faced by future Americans in 1776 when they chose to separate from England. Establishing a new culture was a crucial part of that "revolution," and new culture is needed now. So we study.

We don't want to look too much for guidance to slave-owning politicians. But, as a builder of national community, Thomas Jefferson accomplished a lot. The skills needed for success at planetary health may be different, especially at the local level, but we need regional, national, and global change too. An insightful contrast below between Presidents Jefferson and Madison is worth some thought:  

 

“The most decisive difference between the two presidents lay in their approaches to party leadership. Jefferson cajoled his ... allies into doing what he wanted, sharing secrets and demanding loyalty. Madison did not have this ability. To put it indelicately, only Jefferson knew how to seduce. He courted the faithful and sought out the young, the suggestible. His skill as a letter writer enabled him to convince his associates that their ideas and services were important. He knew how to soothe wounded egos – a political skill not sufficiently appreciated.”

                From the book Madison and Jefferson

                by Andrew Burstein and Nancy Isenberg. Page 478  

 

Perhaps there’s a dishonesty implied above. That is certainly not what biodiversity needs. Perhaps for our purposes, Burstein and Isenberg’s passage could be rewritten this way:

 

“What abilities are most needed in building constituency and community for conservation? Good leadership helps many of us to pull together in the same direction. It’s helpful to recognize receptive people, to share insider secrets and visions, and to promote mission loyalty. While being true to yourself and honest, it’s key to recognize that some words will be meaningful to “the already faithful,” other words to young people deciding where to invest themselves, and others to the general (not yet much interested) public. Skill with language is key – as is ability to recognize differently expressed but compatible (or ultimately superior) themes in other people’s words. If your associates have ideas and abilities that are potentially important, not only is it imperative to hear them, but at least equally so to facilitate the ability that other person to recognize what they can achieve. And lastly, it’s crucial to know how to soothe wounded egos – a skill not sufficiently appreciated.”

Jefferson and Madison, as slave-owners, are no longer inspiring as individuals. In more recent history, Nelson Mandella inspired many as a courageous, wise, effective leader. But the challenges South Africa continues to face remind us how many devils are in how many details. Good change needs more than a leader. A creative consensus on saving biodiversity and the planet needs to be global - and local too. 

Thus, at the local level conservation volunteers and professionals must work together well. For that, crucially, the volunteer organizations need to maintain their independent strength. Volunteers who “sit around waiting for someone to tell them what to do” will not have the creativity or leadership needed. That's why this post tries to define some of the components necessary for volunteer communities to flourish.  

Endnote 2. Celebrating everybody.

What about the hard worker? The come-and-goer? The rank-and-file?

In addition to the above “keystone” characters, others in a community seem less central, as they may drop in and out of as life allows. Or they’re “regulars” who inspire us with quite dedication. Or people who may have been leaders during their careers but want to relax by spending a bit time outdoors and not think quite so much. Some may in time, unexpectedly to themselves, become great leaders, given tactful mentorship and inspiration. But some may simply show up week after week, ask what to cut or pull or gather, and go home, having contributed. 

Often, it’s not easy to know who, among new volunteers, will become a nature nerd, a people person, or whatever. (That said, sometimes it’s obvious in five minutes.) But even those who don’t fit neatly into any of the above four categories make up an important part of a group. Perhaps they’re not quite a social engineer – but, over a snack, they might bond with a future leader, inspired by friendly conversation. Or they’ll show up and work tirelessly to eliminate buckthorn in an important area, without asking why or talking to anyone. A thriving community has many leaders, but also many people who join for a day, a month, a decade – and experience a relationship with the ecosystem that may enrich their lives. And whether they fully know it or not – they also enrich the lives of co-workers, plants, animals, and the Earth. 

Other Communities

For the perspectives of a varieties of communities, check out: 

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves

The Prairie Enthusiasts

The Stewardship Network

Wangari Maathai and the Greenbelt Movement 

Saint Kateri Conservation Center

Wangari Maathai enlisted women throughout Kenya to plant trees. The men were more interested in knocking her unconscious, putting her in jail, and charging her with "spreading malicious rumors, sedition, and treason," for a while. But in the end, consensus came, along with her Nobel Peace Prize.

Do you have other good examples to suggest? Make suggestions through "Comments" (below).

Acknowledgements

This post was written by many: first draft by Stephen Packard, with many edits and new directions by Jonathan Sabath, Amy Doll, Christos Economou, Eriko Kojima, and Rebeccah Hartz. All of us and many others have been working with Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves to develop much-needed biodiversity conservation communities as described above including the Plank Road Prairies, Langham Island, Shaw Woodland and Prairie, Short Cemetery Prairie, Kishwaukee Fen, Middlefork Savanna, Pilcher Park, Morton Grove Prairie, the Somme Preserves, Illinois Beach, and many others. 

Both ecosystems and people have evolved for diversity.
Only people have evolved for parties!