The True Heroes of Our Planet: The Communities on the Frontlines
One of the most important conversations I’ve ever had in my entire life happened while sitting on a dock with a fisherman on the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico.
One of the most important conversations I’ve ever had in my entire life happened while sitting on a dock with a fisherman on the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico.
At the time, I was still working in conservation biology and held a position as a communications specialist for an organization in Baja California Sur. The mission of the organization was to promote sustainable seafood practices, working with local fisheries, markets, and restaurants to create a turtle-safe seafood program.
We were visiting Sinaloa, because several of the fishers who were interested or already working within the program, were located a few hours south of Los Mochis.
We spent a few days going out with them in the boats, looking for sea turtles, and learning about the local ecology of the coastal area.
It was a beautiful place. The bay we were staying in throughout the week was serene. Its shores were filled with coastal mangroves, desert islands jutted out across the horizon, and bright blue waters were home to many different species.
One night, we wandered down to the dock to interview one of the local fishermen. At the time, a friend of mine was working on a documentary about the seafood program, and I was working on a piece for Earth Island Journal.
Throughout the interview, our fisher friend shared his story with us. He told us of the local community, how it felt to grow up there, and his career as a fisherman. The insights he shared with us over just a couple of hours sitting on the dock opened my eyes. His story forever changed my view of conservation and broadened my understanding of the human connection to the natural world.
There is a simple truth to our existence. Life on this planet is an absolute miracle. We are floating on a big blue rock teeming with intelligent and magical creatures in the vast expanse of endless space. It’s downright incredible.
Deep down, I think every one of us knows that. We know how miraculous it is that we get to exist on this planet, and we want to protect it. Unfortunately, though, the desire to protect the planet has become a politicized issue. As humans, we’ve created a system where love for the natural world has two sides, pitting one set of people against the other.
For example, before working in Mexico, I was under the impression that local fishers were one of the major issues in the conservation of marine mammals. I’d been told many stories about how they are known to poach species, had been proponents of bycatch, and were part of an industry that had failed to protect endangered species.
So let’s just say, I had preconceived notions. I had been raised in a society that taught me to vilify those who stood in the way of protecting the natural world. I was taught there were heroes and there were villains, and that these types of communities were at fault for the state of our planet.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. Throughout that conversation I had on the dock in Sinaloa, the countless experiences with other local fisheries over the previous several months, clicked into place. The people, the ones who live in these places, are not the villains, but the heroes of the story.
In Sinaloa, these fishers had spent the entirety of their lives along this coastline, fishing in these waters, and learning about the ocean. This was just as much their home as it was the fish who laid eggs in these bays, the creatures that frequented the mangroves, and the sharks who swam in the open ocean. They knew more about marine conservation than I could ever fathom to understand.
The problem is that many of these communities on the frontlines have become a product of a system that fails to prioritize conservation and the safety of its people. In many cases, individuals are just doing the best they can to survive. That’s the reality, people are people, no matter where we are in the world. We are all just animals trying to take care of ourselves, our loved ones, and the future of the next generation.
But these individuals and communities, the ones who know these places, live within them, and understand them, are the ones who can create change.
That is the realization I had on that dock in Sinaloa. Here, sitting in front of me, was a fisher who openly admitted to poaching and accidentally catching sea turtles, yet was going out of his way to create positive change in the world. He loved the ocean. He loved this place. He even loved sea turtles. But he also needed to pay the bills, provide for his family, and take care of his community. And despite those immense pressures, he was fighting for a better future for the planet and its creatures.
Since this conversation, I’ve lived by this idea. People, no matter where they are, do truly care about the planet. Whether it’s the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, the ranching communities of the northern Rockies, or the artisanal fisheries of Sinaloa, the communities on the frontlines are the heroes we need in this story.
I do believe we are learning this as a society. We are beginning to understand that we cannot protect our wild places if we do not protect the people who steward them. And a large part of protecting those people is working to hear their stories, understand their needs, and advocating for their safety. We have to put power back into the hands of those who know how to use it.
Don’t get me wrong, there will always be bad actors in our world, but there are a lot fewer and far between than we assume. Most people love this planet. That’s why to protect the planet, we must protect them first.
I now live by those words, and it’s all because of a conversation I had with our fisher friend sitting on a dock in Sinaloa.
Updates & Announcements
This past week, we announced the teaser and crowdfunding campaign for one of my documentary projects, State of Mine.
The film follows the story of the local communities who are fighting to protect their public lands from the ongoing overreach of unsustainable mining programs.
For this project, we’ve been speaking with individuals from the community around the Stibnite Mine in Central Idaho. We’ve spoken with conservationists, biologists, fishers, hunters, community members, former miners, and business owners. Through these conversations, we’ve discovered the importance of this story and the prolonged effects mining has on local communities.
We’re raising funds for the project at the moment. The teaser is shown below, and there is a link to the website here. If you are able and feel inclined, you can donate directly to the campaign or share the teaser with anyone who may be interested.
Next week, I’ll be venturing back to the desert landscapes of Baja California Sur, and connecting with some local researchers, nature-based tourism operators, and local stewards of the ocean.
This part of the world is incredibly important to me. There is a magic and beauty to the Gulf of California that is reflected in the communities that live in this place.
This will be the first time I’ve ventured back to these shores since living down there a few years ago. I look forward to sharing more about my personal journey returning to Baja California, and also highlighting some of the incredible work being done in conservation throughout the region.
In addition, alongside a team of fellow friends, photographers, and filmmakers, we’re going to share the beauty by filming a short documentary. We will be working to try and tell the story of these local community conservationists, as well as providing some written accounts and photographs of our own experience in Baja.
I look forward to sharing more about this project and special place with you very soon.
🗞️ Story of the Week
This week, our story of the week comes from a friend and fellow filmmaker, who spent years documenting the story of 399, the famous Grizzly Bear mother that was a celebrity of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
399: Queen of the Tetons is a fascinating story of one of the world’s most famous bears, sharing her lasting legacy, and highlighting our society’s deep fascination with wildlife.
I recently had a chance to watch the film again at a screening provided by the Bend Film Festival. The screening was followed by a talk from three passionate individuals, including filmmaker Elizabeth Leiter, who shared her views of the legacy of this famous and controversial bear.
You can watch the abridged version of the film on PBS or Amazon. In addition, you can check out the film’s website to find local screenings.
NOTE: For our membership community, The Naturalists, there will be a mid-week newsletter which will include the Monthly Challenge, and a special announcement about an upcoming Human Nature event. Stay tuned.
Thanks for being here, friends. See you in the next one.
With love,
Keegan
