The Conservation Economy is a new way to approach growth and our place in the biosphere.
Words :: Ned Morgan // photos :: Glen Harris
Here’s a question worth pondering: What if economies could thrive and generate wealth inside a fully protected natural environment? This concept is a central tenet of the conservation economy, a model of sustainable growth that posits a healthy ecosystem as the foundation of a well-managed economy rather than the victim of a poorly managed one.
If you want to know more about this idea and how it resonates in the Blue Mountains region of Ontario, look no further than the Escarpment Corridor Alliance’s recently released South Georgian Bay Conservation Economy Report. Prepared with support from the South Georgian Bay Innovation Fund, the report lays out a “vision and toolkit” for an economy built within nature, arguing that biodiversity and other elements will contribute “incalculable monetary value.”
In an informal cost-benefit analysis, the report outlines the valuations that a conservation economy delivers, including improved physical and mental health, natural disaster resilience, renewable energy, food security and more.
“Conservation economies do not seek to exclude people from the landscape, but rather open it up for much greater public engagement with the natural world.”
The report strikes a positive but practical tone, reminding us of what we stand to lose if we continue to allow unchecked development of natural spaces: “By protecting a large corridor of nature, we protect natural processes and ecosystem functions that would cost hundreds of millions if we had to replace them with artificial sources. Biodiversity, ecosystem services and natural infrastructure perform essential roles in our lives, communities and economies…”
Some of the ideas in the report could be called idealistic, given the stubborn persistence of the extractive economy in Canada and the stiff headwinds changemakers will always face. Yet the suggestions feel attainable. “Conservation economies do not seek to exclude people from the landscape,” the report explains, “but rather open it up for much greater public engagement with the natural world.”
Next Up: Ecological Corridor Learning Series
Following the success of their sold-out Nature Corridor Summit, the Escarpment Corridor Alliance recently announced the launch of the Ecological Corridor Learning Series: “For People and for Nature” beginning this month. This mix of presentations and experiential learning will expand on the creation of an Ecological Corridor Network and bringing together community members, conservation enthusiasts and experts to collaborate and educate on this escarpment safeguarding initiative.
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