Workshop on Intervening in Nature

Date: May 5-7, 2023
Location: Santa Catalina Island, Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies

Environmental conservation has always necessitated intervening in nature. Continuing degradation of our environment, severe threats to biodiversity, and non-point-based threats such as climate change compel us to consider ramping up the scale of our interventions. Fidelity to past states of the world may no longer be possible. Progress in technology (IVF, gene drives, genetic modification, and much more), makes new conservation strategies conceivable. This workshop brings together philosophers, ecologists, biologists, conservation managers, and environmental lawyers to discuss the paths forward. We do it at the perfect location, Santa Catalina Island, the home of many famous conservation actions.

Participant list

Participants:

Karen Kovaka (organizer) Philosophy, UC San Diego
Ann Thresher (organizer) Interdisciplinary Ethics Fellow, Doerr School of Sustainability, Stanford University
Craig Callender (organizer) Philosophy & Institute for Practical Ethics, UC San Diego
Evelyn Brister, Philosophy, Rochester Institute of Technology
Brendan Cline, Philosophy, California State University Channel Islands
Elizabeth Hadley, Biology, Stanford University
Derek Halm, Philosophy, University of Utah
Makenzie Henk, Wildlife Biology, Catalina Island Conservancy
Sarah Jack Hinners, Ecology, University of Utah
Soazig LeBihan, Philosophy, University of Montana
Rachel Meyer, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Santa Cruz
Jay Odenbaugh, Philosophy, Lewis & Clark College
Diane Pataki, Ecology, Arizona State University
Carlos Santana, Philosophy, University of Utah
Andrew Schroeder, Philosophy, Claremont McKenna College
Debra Shier, Wildlife Conservation, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
Deborah Sivas, Environmental Law, Stanford University
Kellie Uyeda, Coastal Ecology, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve