Stand up for conservation

“Conservation does not have to be the realm of the professional. Every active conservation matters. Whether it is me planting on my balcony in Washington DC or somebody moving to native landscaping on their corporate campuses – every act matters.”

Margaret O’Gorman, President of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), and my guest today on Inside Ideas, makes this powerful point on the show. That we can all make a real difference whether we have a phd in conservation or just want to do something to help improve the world around us.

As WHC President Margaret helps companies find value in natural resources conservation and mainstream biodiversity across operations. Ideas she explore in her latest book: Strategic Corporate Conservation Planning: A Guide to Meaningful Engagement, which forensically dissects the relationships between business and the environment. Themes we delve into on the show as we discuss how corporates can do more when it comes to environmental stewardship.

Margaret laments the all talk and no action culture that sometimes stymies conservation efforts. Where over planning can get in the way of direct action. Problems she believes can be overcome by simplifying approaches to conservation and opening the door to efforts that restore broken places, enhance existing ecosystems, and return healthy biodiversity to all places.

Her views on these topics are well known and she is a highly sought after speaker at major global events. Margaret has spoken at the Business and Biodiversity forum at the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP13, the Smithsonian Institute’s Conservation Optimism Summit, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative, and Ireland’s National Biodiversity Conference. And as pandemic restrictions ease she will be back on the stage soon. But for now I am delighted to have her on the podcast to listen to some of her insight on these pressing issues.