Crafting a New Conservationism

While wild animals—from horses roaming the free range to seals, sea lions, and walruses—are a beloved part of American culture and identity, the federal agencies that protect these animals must also kill them. To prevent overpopulation and intrusion onto other wildlife, these agencies must conduct “removals,” i.e. coordinated and deliberate killings of animals. This responsibility that creates an inherent tension between preserving ecological collectives and protecting the well-being of individual animals underlies Professor Natalie Jacewicz’s piece, "Crafting a New Conservationism." On today's episode, Professor Jacewicz—an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law—joins us to unpack agency decision making in the field of environmental law and conservationism. Through insights gleaned from analyzing over one hundred National Environmental Policy Act reviews, Professor Jacewicz proposes a new conservationism, suggesting changes to conservation-based removals that agencies could adopt to further maximize the well-being of animals. This piece was published in Volume 113 in August 2025.
Guest: Natalie Jacewicz (Assistant Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law)
Host, Script, Transcript: Juliette Draper (Volume 114 Podcast Editor)
Production: Jonah Smith (Volume 115 Senior Technology Editor); Petra Hilton (Volume 115 Technology Editor)
Soundtrack: Composed and Performed by Carter Jansen (Volume 110 Technology Editor)
Introductory Quote: Judge Thelton E. Henderson