Carol Saunders Legacy The Beginnings of Conservation Psychology

Carol Saunders’ Legacy The Beginnings of Conservation Psychology

Twenty + years ago… • Social scientists worked in environmental domain • Pro-environmental behavior • • Environmental psychology • • Steve Kellert, R. Ulrich, Joanne Vining Sense of place • • Steve and Rachel Kaplan, Stuart Oskamp Care and concern • • Doug Mc. Kenzie-Mohr, Wes Schultz, Paul Stern Gene Myers, Louise Chawla, James Cantrill, Bruce Hull Making sense of what motivates people to care and act

What could increase effectiveness? • Good research, but no platform for communication • Various associations and disciplines, but at the margin • Hard to create momentum and focus

So Carol linked the fringes and edges • May 2000 – ISSRM… 35 papers covering Sense of Place, Perception, Ethic of Care, Meanings of Nature • August 2000 – APA… Formed Listserv and Bulletin • May 2002 – Brookfield Zoo… Gathered 65 leaders of the field

What could increase effectiveness? • Helping practitioners understand research • Helping researchers out of the lab • Brookfield Zoo invited social scientists to think tanks and workshops • Developed exhibits based on theory • Evaluated what worked in the real world

First Conference on Conservation Psychology Brookfield Zoo, May 2002 • Four panels, each with NGO anchor • Caring relationships with nature and animals • • Increasing biodiversity stewardship among urban populations • • Chicago Wilderness How do we encourage environmental behaviors • • AZA’s Multi-Institutional Research Project with major urban zoos Center for a New American Dream Encouraging a values-based approach to environmental concern • Biodiversity Project

Special issue of Human Ecology Review • 4 articles about each panel at the Brookfield Zoo Conference on Conservation Psychology • Volume 10, Number 2, Winter 2003.

Introduction provides the history and context: 10(2): iii-v.

Keystone article suggested the definition and research agenda for Conservation Psychology: pages 137 -149. 17 responses: pages 150 -186.

The Premise • Conservation psychology connects natural and social sciences, research and practice, & psychology to other social sciences • Conducts psychological research that is oriented to environmental sustainability Motivating people to act in pro-environmental ways • Encouraging people to care about the natural world and their role in it •

The process mattered While linking people together and focusing on practice. . . Carol empowered participation, created platforms for discussions, and encouraged exchange to build a community.

She cultivated community One moment at a time