Since 1991, Round River has worked with native peoples, environmental
organizations and government agencies. We have gathered ecological information
and engaged in conservation planning in the Blue Range of Arizona, the Great Bear and Muskwa-Kechika of British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, the tropical forests
of Belize, and the Yaak Valley of Montana.
Employing the principles of conservation biology, we formulate strategies to give our partners a well-founded scientific basis for their long-term conservation planning efforts. Our project areas are chosen because:
• they contain relatively large areas of intact wild lands with unique compositions of species, including many endemics;
• they are threatened by resource extraction and unsustainable development; and finally,
• favorable conditions still exist to improve conservation education, and strengthen long-term conservation plans and sustainable resource use through local community involvement.
Today our conservation efforts in North America are focused in the territory of the Taku River
Tlingit First Nation in northwestern British Columbia and in the canyons and forests of southern Utah.
In Africa, our work is in the deserts of northwestern
Namibia, assisting Save the Rhino Trust and conducting a regional ecological analysis for the Greater
Kunene Region in cooperation with the Namibia Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
In South America, we are working in the cloud forests of southern Ecuador
and in the Amazon Basin of Peru. For each of these project areas we also
strive to formulate conservation biology based land designs, while fostering
innovative implementation approaches.
Conservation Science
The breadth of Round River's science is as diverse as
the landscapes within which we work.
Our scope is defi ned only by what is required to support placebased conservation efforts. To accomplish our goals, it is critical that our science be dynamic and responsive to local needs, and that we continually explore and adopt new approaches. Some times, this requires complex, multi-year endeavors; in other instances, we simply provide technical or logistical support for the collection and analysis of hard-to-come-by field census information.
Traditionally, the measure of success for conservation has been the number of acres saved. As the science of conservation biology has developed, we know now that even the world’s largest protected areas are too small to maintain viable populations of many wide-ranging species, and that whole landscapes are necessary to preserve robust functioning ecosystems. Only through landscape-scale science-based planning can we ensure the survival of our largest and/or carnivorous wildlife.
All but the most remote regions of the world have altered dynamics due to landscape fragmentation.
Round River chooses to work in these remote areas because they provide the best opportunities for pro-active, large-scale and ecologically meaningful conservation. This allows us to understand the broader implications of conservation efforts, including both the biological and social consequences of management decisions. To this end, our fi rst scientifi c effort in a given area is to complete a regional ecological analysis.
Through our early efforts in remote regions, we learned that our local partners often possess a wealth of information. These indigenous residents provide insight into present and past conditions; they understand regional ecological dynamics, and know the locations of valued features such as rare, critical or highly valued habitat. This knowledge not only forms the basis for our regional assessments, but also contributes to our building of positive and respectful relationships
with these communities. In addition, we use other available data sources, as well as the results of our own field research. We purposely use redundant data inputs and analytical methods; our goal is not analytical
effi ciency but ensuring we have good results. These regional analyses assist our partners in their land planning decisions and/or activist campaigns.
The conservation designs resulting from these regional
analyses have been used on the coast of British Columbia by organizations campaigning for the Great Bear Rainforest; by the Taku River Tlingit First Nation in their negotiations with the provincial government; and by Namibians to inform the possible creation of a new
national park.
Beyond the regional scale analyses, we identify and pursue applied research and analyses to fill critical information gaps and support better decisionmaking. In Namibia, we assist Save the Rhino Trust by conducting black rhino habitat and population research. Our work in British Columbia includes establishing long-term ecological monitoring regimes, grizzly bear and salmon population studies, and developing habitat models for northern woodland caribou. In Ecuador, we investigate the habitat use of
spectacled bears, conduct surveys for amphibians, and carry out studies to document the ecological services provided by intact watersheds.
Community Partnerships
Our first step upon approaching such a community is
to listen.
In hearing their stories, we learn about both past and contemporary land use practices, and then can begin to develop a collective vision for a future where the local people can prosper in a meaningful manner
while sustaining the ecological integrity and wildness of that landscape for themselves and future generations. Round River is committed to long-term relationships with local communities, and dedicated to their efforts
to realize a vision that situates environmental concerns.
Round River’s approach to developing partnerships is rooted in the belief that local people and indigenous communities in particular can be the strongest and most eloquent stewards of the land. Protecting and maintaining vast wild places requires from us an enduring commitment to locals who share and broaden our land ethic. Such commitments are
particularly important with respect to indigenous and aboriginal people, since they inhabit most of the world’s remaining big wild places. These landscapes are their homes and traditional territories, inextricably
connected with their history, culture, and way of life.
Listening to and working with local people enables us to establish a framework of mutual trust and respect, and the resulting plans balance environmental considerations with community concerns regarding
social, cultural, and economic factors. It is our fervent belief that when the protection and maintenance of wild places is situated in this broad and multidimensional framework, the chances of success are greatly enhanced.
After this first stage, we broaden our partnership by supporting existing and emerging forms of environmental governance. These measures give voice to local communities by empowering them to carry out the long-term vision they have for themselves and their land.
Community Partnerships within a broader context, and that values the relationship between land and community in a more comprehensive
manner. To this end, we carry out community-based development projects that encourage and foster a sustainable approach to the land while simultaneously building social, economic, and cultural wealth. Such efforts may include the creation of jobs, educational and vocational training, support of business ventures, and cultural revitalization projects.