Conservation, Science, and the Fight for Wildlife

Balancing Growth with Conservation

Science is a bridge, not a battleground. Join us in conversation with Dr. Amy Sharma, Executive Director, and Dr. Michael Czajkowski, Director of Advocacy, from Science For Georgia [https://scienceforgeorgia.org/] as we discuss the role science plays in advocacy using real world examples, like data centers. Moving science out of the lab and into the streets bridges the gap between what research says and what it actually looks like in our communities. Science for Georgia [https://scienceforgeorgia.org/] acts as a translator between researchers and everyday Georgians so that knowledge becomes accessible, practical, and capable of inspiring science-backed movements. Real progress depends on coalitions, networks, and a commitment to relentless incrementalism, because meaningful change happens when people keep showing up and working together at the local level. For too long, everyday people have been left out of conversations about issues like building infrastructure (i.e. data centers, factories, and even greenspaces) even though these decisions shape the places we live. Empowering people with knowledge, and including all voices in the conversation, is a rising tide that lifts all boats. By leaving the pitchforks at home, engaging locally, and sharing knowledge as something social and hopeful, science can become a bridge that empowers communities rather than a battleground that divides them. Next time you are heading to your local city council meeting or showing up for the issues that matter to you, make sure Better Than Ezra [https://open.spotify.com/artist/4UuoJfJ9UybJft7a8E6UHX?si=8deNUpKvR-yNG3rS5W4GNw], The Cranberries [https://open.spotify.com/artist/7t0rwkOPGlDPEhaOcVtOt9?si=ftBUOpa8TYiVr8cXcpIpKg], D’Angelo [https://open.spotify.com/artist/336vr2M3Va0FjyvB55lJEd?si=BupfYf6TSfKBNPZGPLTe3g], and The Vanguards [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Cxiw1j8YapEOhSmJWteHW?si=ol61zkXSTvqZ0RkZ0zYPPg] are on your playlist. The Trail We Share is a project of the Southern Conservation Trust. [https://www.sctlandtrust.org/] #conservation #sci4ga #ScienceMatters #environment #education

Building Community Through Trails

Outdoor recreation and conservation strengthen one another. Join us in conversation with Philip Darden, Executive Director of The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), as we discuss how people have to experience nature to feel inspired to protect it. Shared passion, continuity, and passing down knowledge empower communities to use their free time to give back and create lasting impact. Even challenges like funding the “unsexy” work of training and advocacy can be overcome with the belief that change is possible—after all, it’s just dirt; it can be moved and reshaped for the better. Next time you’re on the bike trail, groove along to the latest blues-inspired album by Sturgill Simpson, Passage Du Desir (Spotify link [https://open.spotify.com/album/71On7h3S7yH5D0Td6YNw1t?si=UsXc8WhVTL-KNZXx0ktluQ]). The Trail We Share is a project of the Southern Conservation Trust. #conservation #SORBA #TrailLove #PoweredByYall #TheTrailWeShare

Connecting People to Land, Rivers, and Trails

Finding common ground in our common ground. Join us in conversation with George Dusenbury, Georgia’s State Director for the Trust for Public Land [https://www.tpl.org/], as we discuss conservation projects from our local watersheds to the American railroad system. “People protect what they love,” and the Trust for Public Land [https://www.tpl.org/] calls everyone to find what inspires you. Whether you live near the Atlanta Belt Line project, [https://www.tpl.org/our-work/atlanta-beltline] one of the expanding Rails to Trails [https://www.tpl.org/resource/preserving-rail-corridors-through-trails] projects, or prefer a Riverlands Project, [https://www.tpl.org/our-work/chattahoochee-riverlands] getting involved in your community is how you support what matters to you. Next time you are on your way to a local conservation project, take a listen to “Same Boat” by the Zach Brown Band (Spotify link [https://open.spotify.com/track/2VmccNZz4zFmlcXstY8a2D?si=ba4d41d734c4477f]) or the entire discography of James Taylor (Spotify link [https://open.spotify.com/artist/0vn7UBvSQECKJm2817Yf1P?si=J6e4Y2dOR7uyTBz6dBWq6A]). The Trail We Share is a project of the Southern Conservation Trust. #conservation #TheTrailWeShare

A young woman’s journey on the Appalachian trail and a career in conservation

Miles of forest, days of doubt, and a community that delights in nature. Join us in conversation with Michaela Duda, Stewardship Associate with the Southern Conservation Trust, as we discuss the human drive for conservation efforts. Somewhere between Georgia and Maine, Michaela found her calling while thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail [https://appalachiantrail.org/experience/hike-the-trail/thru-section-hiking/]. Whether you spend time on the trail for the community you build [https://appalachiantrail.org/protect/conservation/at-community-program/] or the peace you find, you are part of protecting nature. Next time you’re out on the trail, press play on Maine by Noah Kahan (Spotify link [https://open.spotify.com/track/3Z2anmIVG8b1GelyeFQdnP?si=-_Hcs_8-RPm5C3WRjMeX-A]) and connect to all the conservation advocates that walked before you. The Trail We Share is a project of the Southern Conservation Trust. #conservation #appalachiantrail #ATInspired #TheTrailWeShare

Conservation, Science, and the Fight for Wildlife

When wildlife disappears, ecosystems collapse. Join us in conversation with Dr. Andrea Allen, co-lead for the Laker Wildlife Initiative [https://www.clayton.edu/arts-sciences/initiatives/laker-wildlife/index.php], as we talk about an increasingly vital area of study. Crimes involving plants and animals [https://www.clayton.edu/arts-sciences/initiatives/laker-wildlife/index.php] may not be something that impacts your daily life, but for conservation advocates ignoring it isn’t an option. Next time you’re bird-watching or taking pictures of a particularly cool plant, Dr. Allen encourages you to listen to Emakhaya by Ladi Adiosoul (Spotify Link [https://open.spotify.com/track/25EQQ6a4htKL9d8ugEkUUm?si=LZ0pqVUGQGWERx1pHqd2EA]) and consider the phrase, Ubuntu [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7882649/pdf/13280_2020_Article_1402.pdf], a South African value system that affirms the interconnectedness of individuals with their communities: I am, because we are [https://maliasili.org/reader/2023/08/we-are-human-through-the-humanity-of-others-lessons-for-conservation-from-an-african-philosophy]. The Trail We Share is a project of the Southern Conservation Trust. #conservation #WildlifeForensics #WildlifeCrime #TheTrailWeShare