Environmental Stewardship

www.nyhumanities.org/conversations

Thank yo u for hosting Co mmunity Conversations for Young Adults !

Community Conversations provides an opportunity for people come together for thoughtful discussion and dialogue about their shared values as Americanspast, present, and future. Focused on central themes in American life such as service, freedom and democracy, Community Conversations allows New Yorkers to join in discussions that offer an alternative to received wisdom and provide the chance to take part in a shared national dialogue. New Yorkers were early and passionate stewards of the environment. Over the last two centuries, we have harnessed the power of Niagara Falls, built the Erie Canal, and decreed that the Adirondack forests remain forever wild. Today, the environment sustains us economically by providing energy and materials, and renews us individually by offering spaces to gather, play, and reflect. As we look to the future, we continue to grapple with finding a responsible balance between using and protecting our natural resources.
O ve rvi ew Community Conversations are stand-alone, text-based discussions led by a facilitator from the local community. Each toolkit includes a text that tackles an important aspect of American life and encourages community dialogue. Your Community Conversation should last between 60 and 90 minutes without interruption. Discussions should be guided by a facilitator and focused on the text and the theme. Hold your conversation in a room where a group of 10-30 participants can hear each other clearly. Use the tip sheets for host sites and facilitators included in this toolkit for ideas about how to encourage everyone to participate in the discussion. Faci litato r A good facilitator is the key to making a Community Conversation successful. The facilitator should be someone in your community who enjoys working with people, is interested in what others have to say, and believes in the merit of conversation-based programs. The facilitator does not need to be someone with an advanced degree in the humanities, but rather someone who has some experience leading open conversations and who is enthusiastic about learning how to facilitate. We encourage all prospective facilitators to attend one of the Councils free facilitation webinars* to learn more about best practices for guiding successful and meaningful discussions.
*Facilitators at featured sites must attend a facilitation webinar.

Struc ture

In clu d ed in th is to ol kit:

The Fight for Conservation by Gifford Pinchot and Preface to Our Vanishing Wildlife by Henry F. Osborn Discussion Questions for The Fight for Conservation and Preface to Our Vanishing Wildlife Tips for Facilitating Tips for Hosting Sample Schedule Participant Evaluation Keep the Conversation Going Partners

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The Fight for Conse rvation (excerpt) by Giffo rd Pinchot, 1908 Pr eface to Our Vanishing Wildlife by Henry Osborn, 1 912
Many arguments have been presented on the differences between conservation and preservation. Please read both the excerpts below for your discussion. Th e Figh t for Co nse rva ti on Gifford Pinchot, 1908
The central thing for which Conservation stands is to make this country the best possible place to live in, both for us and for our descendants. It stands against the waste of the natural resources which cannot be renewed, such as coal and iron; it stands for the perpetuation of the resources which can be renewed, such as the food-producing soils and the forests; and most of all it stands for an equal opportunity for every American citizen to get his fair share of benefit from these resources, both now and hereafter. Conservationbelieves in prudence and foresight instead of reckless blindness; it holds that resources now public property should not become the basis for oppressive private monopoly; and it demands the complete and orderly development of all our resources for the benefit of all the people, instead of the partial exploitation of them for the benefit of a few. It recognizes fully the right of the present generation to use what it needs and all it needs of the natural resources now available, but it recognizes equally our obligation so to use what we need that our descendants shall not be deprived of what they need. Conservation has much to do with the welfare of the average man of today. It proposes to secure a continuous and abundant supply of the necessaries of life, which means a reasonable cost of living and business stability. It advocates fairness in the distribution of the benefits, which flow from the natural resources. Itholds that it is about as important to see that the people in general get the benefit of our natural resources as to see that there shall be natural resources left.

Pre f ace to Ou r Vanish ing W ild lif e Henry Osborn, 1912

The preservation of animal and plant life, and of the general beauty of Nature, is one of the foremost duties of the men and women of today. Every possible means of preservationsentimental, educational and legislative must be employed. The present warning issues with no uncertain sound, because this great battle for preservation and conservation cannot be won by gentle tones, nor by appeals to the aesthetic instincts of those who have no sense of beauty, or enjoyment of Nature. The welfare and happiness of our own and of all future generations of Americans are at stake in this battle for preservation of Nature against the selfishness, the ignorance, or the cruelty of her destroyers. We no longer destroy great works of art. They are treasure, and regarded as of priceless value; but we have yet to attain the state of civilization where the destruction of a glorious work of Nature, whether it be a cliff, a forest, or a species of mammal or bird, is regarded with equal abhorrence. The whole earth is a poorer place to live in when a colony of exquisite egrets or birds of paradise is destroyed in order that the plumes may decorate the hat of some lady of fashion, and ultimately find their way into the rubbish heap. Within our conservation areas, an earthly paradise is being turned into an earthly hades; and it is not savages nor primitive men who are doing this, but men and women who boast of their civilization. Air and water are polluted, rivers and streams serve as sewers and dumping grounds, forests are swept away and fishes are driven from the streams. Many birds are becoming extinct, and certain mammals are on the verge of extermination. We are far from the point where the momentum of Conservation is strong enough to arrest and roll back the tide of destruction; and this is especially true with regard to our fast vanishing animal life.
From Our Vanishing Wildlife: Its Extermination and Preservation by William T. Hornaday (1912)
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Discussio n Questions for The Fight for Conse rvation and Pr eface to Our Vanishing Wildlife

How does Pinchot define conservation? How is his idea of conservation different from Osborns idea of preservation? Pinchot links conservation and equal opportunity. Do you think these two ideas are related? How? Do you think Americans have a natural right to benefit from our natural resources? Why or why not? Pinchot focuses a lot on Americans right to use and benefit from nature. Are there perspectives hes leaving out? How does Americans use of natural resources impact the rest of the world? Pinchot says conservation demands the complete and orderly development of all our natural resources. Do you think hes right? How would Osborn respond? Pinchot links conservation with economic issues, such as cost of living and business stability. How is the environment linked to the economy where you live? Pinchot says conservation advocates fairness in how we distribute the benefits of our natural resources. What do you think is fair in terms of who benefits from natural resources? Whats the fair balance of using our natural resources now and preserving them for the future? Osborn says one of [our] foremost duties is the preservation of plant and animal life. Do you agree? Is protecting the environment a duty like voting or serving on juries? Osborn identifies different kinds of preservation: sentimental, educational, and legislative. What do you think he means? What are examples of each? Which do you think is most important? Osborn compares nature to art, suggesting its a treasure and of priceless value. Do you agree? Osborn says the whole earth is a poorer place when nature is destroyed or animals go extinct. Do you think hes right? Who speaks for the environment? Do animals and plants have rights that should be protected? What do Pinchots and Osborns ideas have in common? How are they different? Is one argument more convincing to you than the other? Why? Do you think the issues of conservation, preservation, and environmental stewardship are important to your generation? Do young people have a different stake in these issues than older generations? What role can young people play as stewards of the environment?

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Tips for Facilitating Co mmunity Conversations for Young Adults

Community Conversations are simple gatherings that encourage thoughtful, engaged dialogue using a short reading to foster discussion. The goal is a comfortable, lively discussion free of bias and judgment. We hope the following suggestions will help you create an inviting environment for you and your community. Pl an ni ng fo r th e Co nv e rsatio n Expect a healthy conversation to last between 60 and 90 minutes. Read the text several times, paying attention to the parts that were difficult or that made you pause. These will be the places that generate the most conversation. Use the sample questions in this toolkit as a starting point for writing questions that will resonate with your group. Decide how you will begin the conversation. The first few questions will set the tone for the discussion, so think about what themes in the text you would like to explore. Prepare about three times as many questions as you think youll cover with the group. You wont get to everything, but extra planning will help you follow the natural progression of the conversation. Plan a closing question or exercise that signals the end of the formal discussion, but encourages the group to keep the conversation going at home or among friends. Ge ttin g Starte d Arrange chairs in a circle or semi-circle so that participants can easily see one another and be heard by all. Start by establishing some basic guidelines with the group. For example, be respectful, make sure that everyone has a turn to speak, and focus your comments on the reading. Introduce yourself at the beginning of the session and ask each participant to do the same. Keep introductions short. Begin by reading the whole text aloud together. This allows everyone to have the opportunity to hear a fluent reader and invites people with lower levels of literacy to actively participate. Plan an opening activity to help participants get comfortable: ask a discussion question and encourage participants to share their thoughts in pairs and report back to the group. Aski ng Go o d Q u e stio ns Ask short, open-ended questions that dont have a right or wrong answer. Invite the participants to interpret the text in their own ways. Focus on places where opinions may differ (not on facts that cannot be disputed). Look for ways to connect the subject matter to everyday life. Encourage participants to form their own questions. Prioritize keeping the conversation going over getting to all of your questions. Use the text as a neutral place if the conversation gets heated. Li sten an d Le arn Focus on listening, not teaching. Be flexible and let your questions follow the natural course of conversation. Dont feel that you need to ask every question youve prepared or in the order you planned. When the conversation is flowing, share your opinion last or not at all. Avoid answering your own questions. If there is a lull in the conversation, let people think about their answers before you move on. Look at the person speaking, and try not to cross your arms or legs. Address group members by their first names.
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Tips for Ho sting Co mmunity Conversations for Young Adults

Fin d in g a Facil itato r

Find a facilitator who is a good fit for your group. (The host-site coordinator and the facilitator can be the same person.) The success of your conversation is highly dependent on the skill of your facilitator. ! Look for someone who is open, friendly, and enjoys working with people. Your facilitator should believe in the program and share your enthusiasm for doing it. ! Look for someone who is interested in what others have to say. Your the facilitator is not there to teach the text or lecture on the topic, but rather to ask questions and let the group do the talking. ! Look for someone who is willing to learn how to be a facilitator and can commit to doing the training webinar (if you are a featured site). Plan to begin publicizing your discussion at least three weeks in advance. The Council provides templates for press releases, fliers, and Community Conversations logos on our website (www.nyhumanities.org/conversations). For public conversations, make fliers and post them at local libraries, community centers, coffee houses, school campuses, churches, veterans or union halls, and store bulletin boards. Be sure to get permission to leave or post fliers. Make every effort to draw a diverse audience to your program so that a variety of perspectives are represented in the discussion. If your conversation is for a closed group (staff, club, etc.), consider including the discussion at a time when you already meet, such as at a staff meeting. You may consider including the conversation on the day of a planned service project, either to start or conclude the project. Consider making fliers with the time, date, and location on one side and a copy of the text youll be discussing on the other. Choose a room with good acoustics so that everyone, including people who may be hard of hearing, can hear each other. Ensure that the room is free of other distractions. Seat participants in a circle or semi-circle so everyone can make eye contact with each other. Create a welcome table with copies of the text near the entrance to the room. Provide nametags and ask participants to use their first names. You may also want to include other literature or pamphlets from your organization related to the theme of the discussion. Make more than enough copies of the text so that everyone has a copy. Invite participants to take an extra copy after the discussion and share it with a friend or family member. Its a great way to keep the conversation going! Test any audiovisual equipment ahead of time to make sure that everyone will be able to see or hear what you present. Provide light refreshments like juice, coffee or tea, and cookies. Featured sites may use the stipend to cover the cost of drinks and snacks. Make sure the facilitator has a view of a clock or other time-keeping device. If you are not the facilitator, seat yourself across from him or her so that you can easily make eye contact. Decide whether you will ask participants to fill out an evaluation form. Have copies on hand to distribute after the discussion has concluded. A short evaluation form is included in this toolkit, or you can design your own. Share participant feedback, formal and informal, on the host-site coordinator evaluation form at www.nyhumanities.org/conversations. Keep accurate attendance data for your own records to report back to the Council. The Council does not require you to share names or contact information of attendees. If you are a featured site, complete the online evaluation for host-site coordinators within two weeks of the event.

Re crui tmen t

Ro om Set-U p

Wrap -U p

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Sample Schedule fo r Co mmunity Conversations for Young Adults

Planning Guidelines for Community Conversations for Young Adults

Set guidelines for discussion. Use first names. Ask an opening question: Whats a place you visit where you feel close to nature?

Introduce yourselves briefly (10 minutes)

Rea d the text aloud (10 minutes)

Ask one fluent reader to read the entire text (preferably the facilitator). Suggest participants underline or make notes about parts of the text that interest or surprise them.

Check comprehension (5 minutes)

Did everyone understand the vocabulary? Are there any phrases that need further clarification?

Discuss (60 minutes)

Focus on interpretive and evaluative questions: Interpretive: What does Pinchot mean when he says _______? Evaluative: Do you agree with Osborn when he says _______? Why or why not?

Wrap-Up (15 minutes)

End the conversation with a closing question: How can we help members of our community be environmental stewards?

Ne w Yor k State S tandards for Grades 6-12 Com mon Co re En glish Langu age Arts: Comprehension and Collaboration and Conventions of Standard English
New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Participant Evaluatio n

Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Di d this co nv ersa ti on h e lp yo u to thi nk abo ut th is top ic i n ne w ways? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

Di d yo u le arn f rom yo u r pe e rs du rin g the co n ve rsatio n? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

We re you e n cou rage d to sh are yo u r re actio ns to th e to pi c an d tex t? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

We re o th e rs e nc ou rage d to sh are th ei r re actio ns to th e to pi c an d tex t? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

Di d the f acil itato r ask re le van t an d in tere stin g qu e stio ns abo u t the te xt an d to pic? Definitely Not Not really Possibly Somewhat Definitely

Ho w v alu ab le was it to you to p arti cip ate in thi s pro gram? Not at all valuable Not very valuable Somewhat valuable Valuable Very valuable

Ho w i mpo rtant is i t to hav e pro grams like th is o n e in you r co mmu n ity? Not at all important Not very important
Somewhat important

Important

Very important

Do yo u pl an to tal k to frie n ds and f amil y abo u t the i de as rai sed i n th is pro gram? No Maybe Yes

Wo u ld you pa rti cip ate in thi s kin d of pro gram agai n? No Maybe Yes

Pl e ase add an y add iti on al com men ts ab ou t to day s Co mmu nity Co nve rsatio n .

Would you like to receive the Councils e-newsletter?

Email: _______________________________________________________________________________

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Keep the co nver sation going with suppo rt fro m the New York Co uncil for the Humanities

Explore more of what the Council has to offer! These grants and programs support conversation-based programming. To getherBo ok Talk for Kids and Parents
A reading and discussion program for families A forum for parents and their 9- to 11-year-old children to come together to talk about books and ideas Six 90-minute sessions are co-facilitated by a librarian and a humanities scholar from the local community Explore key themes in American life such as courage, freedom, and being American

Speakers in the Humanities & Speakers in the Schools

Lectures on humanities topics Over 100 humanities-based lectures on a wide variety of topics, including: Cooling Mother Earth: New Yorks Footprint in Nature, Then and Now The Struggle for Environmental Justice: Cases from NYC and Beyond Representing the American Landscape: The Peoples Parks

www.nyhumanities.org/together

www.nyhumanities.org/speakers

Grants

Funding for projects using the humanities to engage the public Design your own conversation-based programming about important humanities ideas or texts that encourage informed public discourse in communities. Apply for a Planning, Project, or Special Initiatives Grant. Grants range from $1,500 to $3,000.

Reading & Discussion Programs for Adults

Read and talk about books and ideas in a group setting Series of thematically linked texts over the course of four, five, or six sessions. Themes include: Growing & Aging, Serving, Working, Muslim Journeys, Making Sense of the Civil War, and Lincoln on the Civil War. New for 2014: World War I; and Serving: Standing Down for Veterans.

www.nyhumanities.org/grants

www.nyhumanities.org/adultrd

Visit us at www.nyhumanities.org for all program information, guidelines, and application forms. Any not-for-profit organization in New York State is eligible to apply for Council grants and programs.

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org

Co mmunity Conversations Partners

New York Council for the Humanities | T 212.233.1131 | www.nyhumanities.org