# Why aren't conservatives conservationists?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-conservatives-conservationists/492000>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [April 4, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-conservatives-conservationists/492000 "2009-04-04T21:52:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-conservatives-conservationists/492000/61 "2009-04-10T15:22:31Z")

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“God gave us dominion, Take it, Rape it, it’s yours.” Ann Coulter

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**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\
**Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-conservatives-conservationists/492000/62 "2009-04-10T19:52:26Z")

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> [@CutterJohn](#):
>
> And you have the ones that think our brains and our thumbs earned us this world, and it and everything on it is ours to use as we please, but since we must be responsible owners if we want to leave anything to our children and grandchildren, it must be carefully husbanded and maintained.

And considering that we don’t actually understand the finer working of pretty much _any_ of the ecosystems on this planet well enough to predict how they will respond to external changes long-term, the best way to “husband and maintain” them is to keep as large an area as is feasible in as close to untouched a state as possible. And when that’s not possible (as it usually isn’t), we should strive to understand and mimic the natural mechanisms that are interfered with (ie, artificial dispersal of animals between reserves to encourage gene flow between formerly-connected, now-isolated populations). In either case, this costs money, and isn’t necessarily compatible with maximal human use or enjoyment of the lands, plants, and animals involved. Conservatives tend to object to that.

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**Author:** ![2sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e47774/32.png) [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-arent-conservatives-conservationists/492000/63 "2009-04-11T16:33:37Z")

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> [@erislover](#):
>
> I don’t understand how conservatives could say “unintended consequences” until they are blue in the face, yet it is generally the left that supports environmental measures. (I’m not trying to assert an inconsistency.) When we wish to mess with the economy, it is, “you don’t know how this might hurt us,” but when we want to not mess with the environment, it is, “prove AWG.”

Why not assert an inconsistency? It resolves your lack of understanding neatly. The discussion of conservative philosophy is interesting so don’t let me poop on it but it’s really unnecessary. Conservatives dont habitually discuss unintended consequences in the environment because it tends to promote governmental regulation which they oppose. Simple as pie.

Not that there is something wrong (or especially wrong) with conservatives. This is how people are. It’s a rare individual of any political stripe who brings up inconvenient information. When it’s convenient to discuss something it gets brought up. When not, not so much.

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