CONSERVATION LEGACY

1919 - Today

CONSERVATION

LEGACY

“There is [no question] which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us,” said Roosevelt. Today, scientists at the American Museum of Natural History and other organizations continue Roosevelt’s legacy to conserve the environment for future generations.
ONLINE RESOURCE

Biodiversity OLogy

WHY WORK IN CONSERVATION?

AMNH’s Chris Filardi believes conservation work extends beyond the natural world

TODAY
U.S. MODEL ECHOED GLOBALLY

Since early efforts, land conservation has become a global movement

Virunga National Park, D.R. Congo After traveling to this mountainous region to collect specimens for an AMNH diorama, Carl Akeley fought for mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) conservation there, contributing to the movement to create this national park—Africa’s first—in 1925.

Kaziranga National Park, India Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, Kaziranga is home to the Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)—famously successful for population rebounds since the 1970s—as well as 15 other species of India’s threatened mammals.

National Parks in Costa Rica In Costa Rica, a model for nationwide conservation, environmental stewardship is sound economic policy. Covering more than 25 percent of the country, protected lands encourage tourism—and account for a significant amount of the country’s income.
1925

to present
IUCN FOUNDED

Institutions from 18 countries form the first global environmental organization. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of threatened animals is used in species conservation

1948
SILENT SPRING PUBLISHED

Conservationist Rachel Carson alerts the public to the health dangers of agricultural pesticides, prompting tighter chemical industry regulation and, in 1972, the U.S. ban on DDT

1962
EDUCATORS' COURSE

Water Course

FIRST EARTH DAY

Earth Day, celebrated annually worldwide to increase awareness of environmental issues, marks the beginning of the modern environmental education movement

1970

APRIL
EPA FOUNDED

The U.S. creates its first agency dedicated to protecting environmental health

1970

DECEMBER
ONLINE RESOURCE

Climate Change Ology

NARINDER KAKAR

In Stockholm, the U.N. holds its first major conference on international environmental issues

1972
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

Though Roosevelt and others made efforts to preserve some threatened species, this U.S. Act finalizes federal protection for endangered species

1973
REGULATING TRADE OF SPECIES

80 nations sign the “CITES” agreement, to ensure that international trade of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival

1973
YOUTH PROGRAM

Urban Biodiversity Network
CONSERVING U.S. AREAS

Today, U.S. public spaces encompass urban areas, coral reefs and more

Alaska’s dynamic 3.3-million-acre Glacier Bay National Park, designated a national park in 1978, is home to a massive glacier that has been receding for more than a century. Sites like this, vulnerable to the changing climate, provide valuable research opportunities for scientists.

In American Samoa, a U.S. territory, a national park is located on lands leased to the Park Service by Samoan village chiefs. Samoans help manage the park, established in 1988, which includes rainforest, beach and coral reefs on three islands.

The High Line is a New York City public park built on a rail line elevated above some 20 blocks of lower Manhattan. When the historic rail was threatened with demolition in 1999, local residents created an organization to conserve and refurbish the site.

Chiricahua National Monument, adjacent to U.S. Forest Service land in Arizona, is home to some of the area’s unique rock formations and great ecological diversity. At AMNH’s Southwestern Research Station, scientists and educators do research and take classes nearby in one of the country’s most biologically rich environments.

The historic Blackstone River Corridor, in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, preserves cultural sites (the area contains 24 communities), historic landmarks (its river powered the first cotton-spinning mill in the U.S.) and natural resources from wetlands and canals to forests and fields.
1978

to present
JIMMY CARTER

Following in Roosevelt’s footsteps, President Carter sets aside more than 100 million acres

1980
CONSERVING MIGRATORY BIRDS

Shorebirds migrate up to 20,000 miles annually. With bird populations declining, agencies and organizations work to conserve habitats along international migration routes

1986
BAN ON WHALING

The International Whaling Commission’s ban on commercial whaling helps humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) and other populations rebound

1986
MONTREAL PROTOCOL SIGNED

Scientists find Earth’s ozone layer, which blocks harmful UV rays, has an alarming “hole.” An international pact to ban ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) was a success; the ozone layer is recovering

1987
EDUCATORS' COURSE

Climate Change
ATTENTION TURNS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Faced with rising CO₂ levels, scientists push for a global effort to fight climate change

IPCC Established, 1988 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a scientific body of 195 current member countries, reviews and evaluates international climate change information.

Kyoto Protocol Signed, 1997 Dozens of industrialized countries signed this treaty, which created binding commitments to emission reduction. (The U.S. signed in 1998 but did not ratify.) The protocol provided a first step toward stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.

Understanding Effects of Climate Change Today, AMNH’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation works to understand the effect of climate change on biodiversity and distribution of species such as chameleons in Madagascar, in efforts to create better management plans for the future.

Continuing Challenges Rising sea levels, more numerous and severe storm events and lower air quality—all resulting from ongoing climate change—threaten not only plants and animals but also human health and well-being.
1988
BILL CLINTON

During his administration, President Clinton makes conservation a priority

1996
CITIES FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

From reducing emissions to reconnecting with nature, cities put conservation on the agenda

Bronx River Restoration: New York City The Bronx River Alliance is restoring this river to ecological health after centuries of misuse and neglect. The Alliance reintroduced alewife herring (Alosa pseudoharengus) in 2006 and 2007 and the species has started to repopulate the river, an indicator of ecosystem health.

Transportation Reform: Bogotá, Colombia Since 1998, Bogotá has been working toward improving accessibility and sustainability. Energy-efficient public buses, renovated sidewalks, new bike trails and increased green spaces make the city an environmental leader.

Creating Food Security: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Through education and community participation, Will Allen, founder of Growing Power, works to increase food security across the U.S. Based in Milwaukee, the organization has transformed part of that city to reflect a commitment to sustainable food systems.

Protecting Natural Areas: Chicago, Illinois Chicago Wilderness works to restore and protect natural areas across four states. By encouraging residents to become environmental stewards, the group hopes to reconnect individuals, especially young people who’ve grown up in a world increasingly reliant on technology, with nature.
1998

to present
NEW TECHNOLOGIES

Researchers use satellite images to visualize land-cover changes (above, central Vietnam). The images help identify areas in need of protection, and provide a baseline for predicting future changes

2003
NEW SPECIES

Dr. Norman Platnick leads a team inventorying the goblin spider family—and discovering new species

2006
DIRK KEMPTHORNE

Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior under President George W. Bush

2006
WARS WREAK HAVOC

A 2007 report links decades of conflict in Sudan with deforestation, land degradation and unsustainable resource consumption. The country works to repair damage, but challenges remain

2007
AT AMNH

BioBulletin
GLOBAL URGENCIES

Some environmental problems pose serious threats to the survival of species and human health

Global Overfishing Overfishing has depleted formerly abundant stocks of many fish species. Fishermen move farther from shore and catch smaller fish to accommodate demand. Removing key fish species from their communities disrupts ecological dynamics and threatens fishery collapse.

Pollinators Under Threat Pollinators such as bees, birds, fruit bats, butterflies and moths pollinate some 75 percent of the world's crop plants. Many of these pollinators are declining due to habitat loss, improper pesticide use and introduced diseases.

Decline of Amphibian Populations Humans ship frogs around the world through the pet and food trades. When frogs infected with chytridiomycosis—a lethal skin disease caused by the chytrid fungus—enter new habitats, the disease spreads, causing severe, global population declines.

Invasive Species Invasive plants and animals thrive in areas outside their normal range, often at the expense of native species. Native to Japan and China, kudzu grows rapidly and aggressively in the south-central and eastern U.S.

Coral Bleaching As ocean temperatures warm due to climate change, corals become stressed and expel the internal, microscopic algae that give them color. Corals can survive mild and short bleaching episodes but are left vulnerable.

Rhino Poaching Largely due to illegal poaching, all five rhinoceros species are currently endangered. Rhino horns are frequently used in traditional medicine, and rhino populations in Asia and Africa have dropped drastically as a result.
TODAY
CONSERVING ANIMALS’ HABITATS

Climate change threatens many animals’ habitats, pushing species to smaller and non-native areas

TODAY
AT THE MUSEUM

Windowfarms

NEW YORK CITY GOES GREEN

New York City implemented the ongoing PlaNYC initiative to address climate change, accommodate growing human populations and restore natural systems

TODAY
21^st CENTURY CONSERVATION

The Museum and other conservation groups work to conserve the environment

Working with Local Communities AMNH’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC) works with indigenous groups and other communities in the Solomon Islands to protect the area’s biodiversity. Together, scientists and communities develop incentives for forest and near-shore conservation.

Natural Areas Conservancy This Conservancy, a private organization working with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, restores, protects and expands networks of blue and green spaces, promoting a healthy and livable New York City.

Stemming the Illegal Wildlife Trade Half of all freshwater turtle and tortoise species are currently threatened with extinction. The Wildlife Conservation Society works to curtail the unsustainable harvest of wild animals while balancing the subsistence and economic needs of local people.

Project Safe Flight Every year hundreds of migratory birds passing through New York City are injured or killed when they collide with tall, reflective buildings. New York City's Audubon Society initiated Project Safe Flight to prevent these collisions.

Conservation Genetics in Action In 2002, habitat fragmentation left a small group of black-and-white ruffed lemurs isolated. To ensure diversity, AMNH researchers used genetic analysis to locate genetically distinct individuals; introducing them avoided population collapse.

Private Groups for Conservation In Idaho, the for-profit ranch, Lava Lake Lamb, works to conserve wildlife in their area. Private ranchers can contribute to conservation by allowing safe passage of wildlife between summer and winter feeding grounds.
TODAY
FUTURE OF CONSERVATION

Today’s global population faces continuing challenges, requiring multifaceted approaches

FUTURE
CREDITS

For Images
& Videos

Images and Videos
Courtesy Of:

AgeFotostock
Alamy Images
American Museum of Natural History: Special Collections
Associated Press Photo Archive
Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society
ChicagoWilderness.org
Chris Filardi/ AMNH
Christopher Binning
The Frederick Remington Art Museum Collection
The Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Growing Power UW Madison CALS
Harvard Fine Arts Library
Houghton Library, Harvard University
IStockphoto, Inc.
IUCN World Conservation Congress
Library of Congress Motion Picture
Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division
Library of Congress Prints and Photographs
Michael Kamber
NASA
The National Park Service
New York State Library
Photo Researchers
The Roosevelt Association
Shutterstock Images LLC
Thomas Mangelsen
University of the Pacific Library/
Muir-Hanna Trust
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wildlife Conservation Society/
Julie Larsen Maher

END OF SECTION

To explore Roosevelt’s life, start with Young Naturalist

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