The MeatEater Podcast Ep. 769: Can Conservation Be Non-Partisan?
Sep 29, 2025
Benji Backer, founder of Nature Is Nonpartisan, shares his insights on uniting diverse political views for conservation. Along with Ryan Callaghan and Randall Williams, they discuss how nature can transcend party lines. The trio tackles topics like the Florida bear hunt controversy and how to creatively persuade fiscal conservatives to support conservation. They highlight the importance of building coalitions that include farmers and hunters, and Benji emphasizes focusing on impactful conservation outcomes over political credit.
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Design Hunts To Manage Participation
- When agencies design hunts, consider ticketed lotteries to limit participants and better control take.
- Use education or licensing requirements to filter entrants and protect management goals.
Conflict Fuels Fundraising, Not Solutions
- Benji and Steve critique big environmental groups for profiting from conflict and fundraising off polarization.
- They argue conflict-driven models can hinder durable conservation progress.
Meet People Locally And Use Social Norms
- Benji says meet people where they are by creating local, culturally relevant conservation messaging.
- Use community on-ramps and social networks instead of trying to beat social algorithms head-on.
