by GISSELE GONZALEZ
Staff Writer
The environmental conservation movement has impacted the world throughout history and continues to preserve ecosystems. However, conservatism was founded upon racism and created harm that still exists today.
Early founders of conversationism were racists and white supremacists. John Muir, known as “The Father of National Parks,” has written and perpetuated racist ideology. Gifford Pinchot, often referred to as “The Father of Conservatism,” was also involved in eugenics and served on the Advisory Council of the American Eugenics Society.
The white founders of conservatism were not the first to practice environmental stewardship. Indigenous people were the original “conservationists.” They cared for the land long before the conservation movement was founded. Yet, the white narrative of early conservationists pushed out native practices instead of trying to understand them. Indigenous people were pushed out of their land to make way for conservation. Instead of allowing them to remain where they lived, they were forcefully moved from their homes and are still being pushed out of their land today.
To this day, Indigenous environmental practices are excluded from conservation and environmental management. Environmental conservation is not a bad thing. It is one of the best ways to protect our environment from explosion and destruction. However, it is important to acknowledge its racist roots and think critically about how it still manifests itself in the present.