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Conservation Projects in Prison: The Case for Engaging Incarcerated Populations in Conservation and Science

Thomas N. Kaye, Kelli Bush, Chad Naugle, and Carri J. LeRoy

Natural Areas Journal Jan 2015 : Vol. 35, Issue 1 - Special Issue: Using Native Plant Materials in Restoration, pg(s) 90-97 doi: 10.3375/043.035.0113

Abstract & References

Conservation Projects in Prison: The Case for Engaging Incarcerated Populations in Conservation and Science

and

[+] Author & Article Info

Author Affiliations

Thomas N. Kaye

institute for Applied Ecology PO Box 2855 Corvallis, OR 97339-2855Thomas Kaye is Executive Director at the Institute for Applied Ecology as well as courtesy Associate Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University. He focuses on habitat restoration techniques for prairie ecosystems, reintroduction methods for threatened and endangered species, modeling responses of plants to climate change, and bringing science and habitat conservation to underserved communities.

Author for correspondence: tom@appliedeco.org

Kelli Bush

Sustainability in Prisons Project 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW Olympia, WA 98505Kelli Bush is the Program Manager of the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP), a partnership founded by The Evergreen State College and the WA Department of Corrections. She manages SPP's Taylor's Checkerspot Butterfly, Oregon Spotted Frog, and Western Pond Turtle programs, and oversees all SPP program operations. She has degrees in horticulture and agriculture ecology, and two decades experience in policy and practice of restoration ecology, conservation biology, and horticulture.

Chad Naugle

Oregon Department of Corrections 3601 State St. Salem, OR 97301Chad Naugle is the Sustainability Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Corrections. His interests are safe and sustainable operations and providing meaningful vocational training programs for adults in custody that deal with science, nature and ecosystem restoration.

Carri J. LeRoy

The Evergreen State College 2700 Evergreen Parkway NW Olympia, WA 98505Carri LeRoy is a member of the faculty at The Evergreen State College. She has a PhD in Biological Sciences, a Masters in Liberal Studies (focus in environmental education) and degrees in Environmental Science and International Studies. She is the Co-Director of the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP), a program that brings science and nature into prisons and hopes to reduce the environmental, economic, and human costs of prisons. SPP was founded as a partnership between The Evergreen State College and the WA Dept. of Corrections, and is now an international network of scientists, educators and prison administrators.

ABSTRACT:

The pace of habitat destruction and loss of biological diversity globally exceeds the current capacity of societies to restore functioning ecosystems. Working with prison systems to engage inmates in habitat conservation and ecological science is an innovative approach to increase our ability to reestablish habitat and at-risk species, while simultaneously providing people in custody with opportunities for reciprocal restoration, education, therapeutic activities, safer conditions, and lower costs of imprisonment. We present the benefits of working with prisons to conduct habitat conservation through nursery production of plants and captive rearing of animals, combined with educational experiences, and provide an overview of the Sustainability in Prisons Project Network. Examples of projects with prisons in Washington and Oregon include nursery production of Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis) for restoring habitat of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), nursery production of early blue violet (Viola adunca) to support conservation of threatened Oregon silverspot butterflies (Speyeria zerene hippolyta), captive rearing programs for Oregon spotted frogs (Rana pretiosa) and endangered Taylor's checkerspot butterflies (Euphydryas editha taylori), and nursery production of over 60 plant species for restoration of native prairies. Including incarcerated people in conservation and science could tap into the positive potential of over 2 million inmates at over 4000 prisons and jails in the United States and create new partnerships to support large-scale habitat restoration and ecological research.

Keywords: captive rearing, sagebrush, sage-grouse, sustainability in prisons project, Taylor's checkerspot

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