Yablonski discusses future of conservation during WSGA summer convention

During the Wyoming Stock Growers Association (WSGA) Summer Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show, held June 3-5 in Cody, Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) Chief Executive Officer Brian Yablonski discussed private land and property rights in the next era of conservation.

Yablonski’s talk centered on the intersection between ranching and conservation, imploring producers to understand the critical role private property management plays in the future of conservation and encouraging cooperation between private property owners and conservation groups.

Legacy of conservation

A self-described “tree hugging capitalist,” Yablonski’s work with PERC focuses on bringing market- and incentive-based solutions to conservation.

“I believe in the power of markets, reaping the fruits of hard work and production, the sanctity of property rights and the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that built this country,” Yablonski shared. “This makes me a tree-hugging capitalist which, in a nutshell, is PERC.”

He then gave an overview of America’s conservation legacy, emphasizing the country’s “patriotism of place” evidenced by care for federal, state and private lands.

Yablonski detailed a broad timeline of conservation events, including the establishment of Yellowstone National Park, national wildlife refuges and Bureau of Land Management rangelands.

“Whether it’s a national park or a ranch, the patriotism of place is uniquely American,” Yablonski stated. “The history of conservation in America has moved in waves or eras, generally lasting about 50 years. Understanding these eras matter because we’re living through the beginning of a new one right now.”

A new era

According to Yablonski, America is entering a critical third era in the history of conservation which will focus on private land, preceded by the first era at the end of the 19th century which involved the establishment of national parks and federal land and the second era which began in the 1960s and focused on combatting pollution.

“Right now, we’re at a genuine hinge point in conservation,” Yablonski said. “The moment’s not about designating federal lands or pesticides and pollution, it’s about what I call the spaces in between – our nation’s rich mosaic of private land.”

Yablonski shared private lands are home to 75 percent of all remaining wetlands in the lower 48 states, 90 percent of remaining grasslands and 80 percent of biodiversity hotspots.

“These systems are some of the most productive habitats, so what happens there really matters,” he added. 

“Private ranches, farms and forests comprise 1.3 billion acres in America,” Yablonski emphasized. “Federal land is only half this number and yet, 150 years of conservation history has been primarily focused on government land.”

With this, Yablonski stressed the critical importance of ranchers and private land owners taking an active role in conservation.

“We’re entering a third era of conservation in America, and unlike the two eras which came before it, this one will not be written in Washington, D.C,” Yablonski emphasized. “It will be written on ranches, because private lands and private land stewardship is the next frontier of conservation and what will happen there will be the defining feature of the era.”

Aligning interests

Yablonski admitted, throughout history, the interests of ranchers and conservation or environmentalist groups have not always seemed to align.

However, he also expressed a belief in changing this narrative, advocating for more involvement with landowners throughout the next era of conservation.

“In the next era of conservation, conservation must be done with – not to – landowners,” he emphasized.

He explained historically, the conservation community has treated private property rights as a threat to be managed rather than the very engine driving conservation.

This is an outdated and ineffective view, Yablonski argued, emphasizing landowners and their generational knowledge should be respected and invited to participate in conservation as valuable resources.

Yablonski spoke out about the ineffectiveness of some federal environmental policies such as the outdated Endangered Species Act, advocating instead for wildlife policy which rewards landowners with less regulation as conditions improve.

“Actual knowledge is localized and specific to time, place and landscapes. The person who runs cattle on a piece of ground for 30 years knows things no federal agency, centralized bureaucracy or conservation organization will ever fully understand,” Yablonski said. “In the conservation community, we need to stick with ranchers rather than stick it to them.”

Yablonski emphasized the interests of conservation and ranching have always been in alignment, and more people are beginning to realize this.

“Ranchers are incentivized to make the land as productive as possible, which means healthy grass, clean water, intact habitat and open space,” he shared. “As it turns out, this is also exactly what wildlife needs. These interests aren’t in conflict – they’re aligned and always have been.”

Yablonski also highlighted a growing change throughout the conservation community.

“Where grazing and ranching were once condemned by mainstream environmentalists and ranchers were cast as adversaries, they are now being recognized for what they have always been – the last best defense of our last best places,” Yablonski stated.

Stronger together

Yablonski expressed recognition for ranchers is long overdue and PERC remains committed to partnering like-minded groups to accelerate this understanding. 

In closing, he implored ranchers to keep an open mind and seek opportunities to collaborate with conservation groups.

“You will be the architects of the next era of conservation, not its subjects,” Yablonski said. “But help the rest of us get there. Be willing to trust again, despite sometimes long and checkered histories with conservation groups.”

“We understand trust has to be earned,” he added. “Be willing to teach people about why what you do is so important for wildlife, land and water. Use bridge-building organizations like ours and others who are property rights advocates and conservationists.”

“Many of us in the conservation community want to stand with you – not in front of you and not above you, but with you,” he concluded.

Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.