BIO 220 W5 Discussion Question 2
BIO 220 W5 Discussion Question 2
How would you balance human preferences—such as aesthetics, utility, and cost—with biological considerations such as biodiversity, ecological authenticity, and evolutionary potential? Provide an example of you would achieve this balance.
The conservation of biological diversity-the species, ecosystems, and ecological processes that make up the web of life-is the goal of MacArthur’s Conservation and Sustainable Development Program. Conservation is often thought to be a scientific endeavor, and the Foundation has supported projects to increase scientific knowledge and capacity for more than two decades. But the conservation of the mountain gorillas and the many other species within their forest habitat depends as much on politics, economics, demographics, and culture as it does on biology and scientific knowledge. The Foundation’s approach to grantmaking is grounded in an understanding of the human forces that shape the environment. It is an approach that requires supporting not just scientists, but entrepreneurs, senior government policymakers, farmers, park managers, and community organizers.
For example, consider the human pressure in the Albertine Rift, which covers only one percent of the landmass of Africa but contains almost 15 percent of the continent’s plant species, half of its birds, and 40 percent of its mammals, including 27 species of primates. The protected areas that harbor this diversity are situated within the most populated part of Africa, with a density of more than 600 people per square kilometer in some places. Rural farmers here often earn less than a dollar a day. The Foundation seeks to support projects that balance the needs of nature and human communities. In Rwanda this is possible because the gorillas’ forested mountain home also protects what are called “ecosystem services,” including the water source for the park’s neighbors and the stability of the soils on the steep slopes. Tourists who visit the gorillas have become a major source of foreign revenue for the national government, but they are just beginning to provide an income source for communities. As this example indicates, protecting the rich and vital biodiversity of this region faces many challenges that will not be quickly resolved. This is one reason why the Foundation has focused on just a few areas around the world where it can support the development of local expertise and make a long-term commitment.
BIO 220 W5 Discussion Question 2
The Albertine Rift is one of nine biologically rich ecosystems, sometimes called “hotspots,” or centers of biodiversity, where the Foundation is now making grants. Each of these focal areas has its unique assemblage of wild plants and animals, and its own social, political, and economic challenges. In 1986, MacArthur was the first major private foundation to adopt biodiversity conservation as a major area of grantmaking, and to date we have invested more than $350 million in conservation efforts. The Foundation supports conservation work in the Albertine Rift and in eight other global priority areas. Together these focal areas encompass a broad swath of the world’s biodiversity and a wide range of cultures and social and economic conditions.
The Foundation’s work-plans for every region set two fundamental goals. First, we want to preserve large landscapes and seascapes in order to maintain their biological diversity (see “Seeing the big picture,” page 3), even in the face of direct threats, such as deforestation, and emerging indirect threats, such as climate change-an area that the Foundation is beginning to explore. Second, we want to build the capacity of local institutions in these focal areas, because the future of these landscapes ultimately rests in local hands. In addition, the Foundation seeks to address emerging or unresolved issues that are affecting progress in our focal areas, such as conservation planning and implementation in the face of climate change or in multi-faceted social contexts. MacArthur’s investments are further enhanced through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), a joint initiative of the MacArthur Foundation, the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, and Conservation International, which aims to advance global biodiversity conservation by providing support to nongovernmental, community, and grassroots organizations.