Protecting the places we love
Bold conservation goals require strategic action. In Protecting the Places We Love: Conservation Strategies for Entrusted Lands and Parks, conservationist and geospatial designer Breece Robertson applies her conservation experience, real-world examples, and myriad resources to deliver a vision for success and clear guidance for conservation groups large and small to achieve their goals.
The goals of these strategies are familiar: support species, habitats, and natural resources and healthy, livable communities that are climate resilient and socially cohesive, all without high costs. Robertson's tools, many of them free, feel quickly accessible, effective, and adaptable to a new or existing conservation strategy. Readers finish this book feeling confident about integrating existing practices with geospatial data and modern applications.
With the smart analysis and targeted action explained in Protecting the Places We Love, readers will better identify places needing protection and better understand how to leverage partnerships, inspire, educate, and engage communities and donors, and produce better results.
See the vision and learn to:
create maps that tell compelling stories to stakeholders and the public
analyze park system equity and access and show the economic benefits
map, model, and analyze land characteristics to enhance biodiversity, connectivity, and climate resilience
use maps and data to gain insights for fundraising, program initiatives, policy, advocacy, finances, and marketing.
Protecting the Places We Love is perfect for citizens, and for conservation advocates and professionals at small to medium-sized land trusts, conservation organizations, and park agencies. Examples from land protection organizations all over the globe provide field-tested approaches to improve strategic effectiveness. Robertson provides a vision, strategies, and resources that can take your conservation efforts to the next level.
ENDORSEMENTS
“The urgent global imperative to save our planet requires transformed policies, systems, and perspectives. It also requires democratization of data and analytic tools to enable all stakeholders and communities to participate in these efforts. This book could not be more timely. Breece Robertson provides both seasoned professionals and engaged citizens an essential guide for using GIS data and mapping that illuminates technical concepts and their practical application to address our most pressing issues related to land, water, climate, and social equity. An established leader and visionary in this rapidly evolving field, Breece is especially passionate about empowering diverse communities with advanced tools and technologies to achieve local solutions that contribute to global goals.”
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (lincolninst.edu) is an independent, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to help solve global economic, social, and environmental challenges to improve the quality of life through creative approaches to the use, taxation, and stewardship of land. The institute’s Center for Geospatial Solutions [lincolninst.edu] provides people and organizations with tools to advance equitable solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges.
“Time is short to protect the ‘last chance’ ecosystems and crucial landscapes that provide habitat, protection from weather events, and connection with nature. Breece Robertson powerfully demonstrates how geospatial tools can guide critical decisions in the most urgent phase of conservation the world has ever faced. The Nature Conservancy is honored to have our partnerships and projects featured in this book that includes a wide array of maps, apps, and models for accelerating the pace and scale of
conservation.”
“Access to parks and green space is critical for improving health, protecting people from the climate crisis, and bringing communities together. Breece Robertson knows firsthand the transformational power of data when it’s used to redress longstanding inequities in our communities. She also knows the urgency of acting today, as more and more people have too long been denied the healing benefits of nature. Protecting the Places We Love provides a brilliant road map forward for anyone who is curious about a world where fresh air, majestic landscapes, and human connection can help solve our most intractable social
challenges.”
order THE BOOK
“I have firsthand experience developing conservation planning approaches, locally and nationally, and I have learned and refined my approaches along the way. I’m excited to capture this knowledge in a book to share with you.”