Why “Candy”?

As Ed Templeton says in Beautiful Losers, one of the tragedies we face as we grow up, as we turn into adults, is losing the joy of creating and being happy that appeared to be the ultimate goals in life when we were kids. Ironically -a sweet finding based on personal experience- our passion for candy is much more difficult to lose in spite of years flowing by.

Considering the power of candy, I decided to name this initiative Candy for Conservationists. Candy appears as a metaphor for what I think conservationists - people who have a passion for life, a passion for nature and for the diversity of people who are part of this world- need to overcome the complex challenges we are facing in the 21st century. Candy is a metaphor for inspiration, for creative ideas, and for the tools and knowledge that we require to make things happen.

It is my belief that one of the problems undermining conservation efforts are the ways we interact with each other and approach conservation challenges. Instead of sharing the joy of working together for a meaningful purpose that transcend our existences, ego and institutional battles have become the norm rather than the exception. We pay too much attention to the labels and roles (academic, governmental officer, practitioner, biologist, lawyer) that we are supposed to comply with, and as a result, start pretending and playing an endless games with no possible winners. It is no surprise that some of us forget what drove us to work in conservation in the first place. Thus, we experience a lack of passion. We seem tempted to do things in ways that are just acceptable and mainstream, therefore maintaining the status quo so that our comfort zones are not threatened. We need to regain perspective, walk two steps back, and remind ourselves that we are all humans trying to deal with coexistence in a unique biosphere. And that unfortunately we are far from doing it right.

By inspiring each other and challenging the way we are thinking and framing issues, clarity and creativity could overcome the dangers of assumptions, stereotypes and prejudices. The “Candy” that you will find in this blog seeks to make people think outside of the box, to interact differently within conservationists, and to engage with people outside the conservation community. The challenges for conservationists in the 21st century are so complex and significant that I really believe we need to put our efforts towards a global movement; we need to feel momentum and remember that we are not alone.

This blog will serve as a bridge: to improve communication among conservationists, especially between academics and practitioners, as well as between professionals in the Global North and the Global South; to promote a better understanding, among these fragmented groups; to be a place where ideas in academic papers will be shared in a way that anyone can read them, challenge them, and add to them constructively. Posts will be in Spanish and English because one of the factors that drove me to start this project was to share the ideas and information that I am being exposed to during an MPhil in Conservation Leadership at the University of Cambridge, with people who have not had this unique opportunity.

I hope to engage the passionate (and especially young) conservation leaders who are willing and committed to this challenge, one which involves promoting conservation in an ethical and coherent way. I hope to engage people who share the idea that it is important to love something worth sacrifice and those who believe in collective action. Despite the morality promoted in today´s world, I hope to engage people who still want to just live simply and pursue happiness. I hope to engage people who have the energy and vision required to make things happen. Everyone is invited to be a part of this movement.


Bruno Monteferri, 2010.

You Are What You Do from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.