Researcher(s):
Gabby Francolla
ENVS course(s): 400 Initiated: September 2017 Completed: Go to project site
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As we head towards a future of increasing complexity, more and more questions will arise in regards to the best methods of conserving threatened and endangered species. The most effective, practical, or even ethical choice is not always clear. In fact, there is a substantial disagreement within the conservation community regarding how to protect biodiversity into the future. Various groups of people are coming forward with conservation agendas that, ultimately, help to further their own ethical assumptions regarding the role that humans play in managing the natural world. I will focus this research on Columbia River salmon conservation, considering the role that ethics play in influencing conservation decisions. The situation is just one of the several others in the debate around conservation ethics in a current and regionally significant issue. There is a long history of the Pacific Northwest advocating fervently for the survival of this species, as a multitude of threats face it and more continue to arise. Numerous organizations and agencies in the region have committed themselves to supporting salmon, but that does not mean that everyone agrees on how to best do this. The divide around hatcheries as a form of salmon conservation is stark. Ultimately, I hope to offer some wisdom regarding collaborative endangered species management amongst an array of actors with different ethics. Engaging with others who come from different perspectives is challenging; it is even more challenging to work towards a common goal.