Thread by @cricketcrocker

I wish conservation biologists would build their field using indigenous (to whatever area) knowledge.

It’s exhausting, as a Native scientist, to watch colonialist framings constantly set up unjust precedents and then subtly (or not) blame nonscientists for issues.

That’s a lot I’m asking for because in order to do it nonextractively, (mostly white) folks who want to do their science in (mostly) not-their-backyard would have to really come to grips with the imperialist idea that parachuting in to study A Species isn’t privileged af.

It would require building authentic, culturally relevant, mutually respectful LONG TERM relationships with indigenous people who live near That Species.

It would require being told “no” and respecting it.

It would require dismantling baked-in white supremacy in STEM.

Doing this would require changing so much about science—believe me, white conservationists, when I tell you that I am probably MORE aware than you are about all the ways decolonizing STEM is challenging.

But that doesn’t mean it’s not something you all should be doing.

Sequencing DNA, observing pulsars, sending a robot to Mars that sends postcard photos back to us—those things also seem kinda far-fetched, when you think about it.

So why not decolonization?

Please do sit with that question.

Please do not @ me with the answers.

Until then, conservation biology is in many ways the natural sciences’ answer to archaeology and anthropology: it requires so much dehumanization of indigenous people around the world that sometimes it’s hard to believe you that it’s a force for good.*

* Nome of you better come @-ing me here about how I must not “care” about the natural world or whatever if I don’t just LOVE everything about conservation biology.

The idea that the field has a monopoly on “caring” is part of the problem I described upthread.

The ideas of “wilderness” that you have, are colonized and racist and Eurocentric.

The ideas of “conservation” your field describes, center AFAICT on the experiences, opinion, epistemology, and desires of wealthy educated people of European descent.

They’re also, when you think about it, very modern.

And not in a good way.

European epistemology about the natural world has done so much destruction and so very little good.

It can’t do enough good to hardly even SLOW the ongoing destruction it does.

It’s laughable that people think it logical that the stable equilibria of ecological relationships among all organisms in an area (including humans)

That existed for tens of thousands of years

Mean that the knowledge systems there were/are LESS sophisticated than their science.

It’s just laughable.

And, (mostly) white conservation biologists, I absolutely believe your hearts are motivated by good wishes.

But you really REALLY need to decolonize the heck out of your field.

Like six hundred years ago.

Not even because you care about indigenous people, even (although of course I think you should)

If you want to do a good job of what you say you care about (conservation), you need to.

It’ll be hard, but your decolonized work is desperately needed.