Walking with the Wild: Finding an Ethic of Compassion in Conservation

Author

Jane Hallie McGuire, University of Montana, MissoulaFollow

Year of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Name

Environmental Studies

Other Degree Name/Area of Focus

Environmental Writing

Department or School/College

Environmental Studies Program

Committee Chair

Phil Condon

Commitee Members

Dan Spencer, Amy Ratto Parks

Keywords

environmental ethics, compassionate conservation, Johnston Island, Johnston Atoll, wildlife biology, Yellowstone National Park

Subject Categories

Nonfiction

Abstract

This collection of five creative nonfiction essays and one poem examines the author's personal encounters with wild life and wild places, primarily through experiences working as a field biologist. Reflections on nature’s fragility, interconnectivity, the autonomy of all living things, and the ethics of conservation are central to each piece. Walking with the Wild invites readers to consider the benefits of integrating compassion and empathy into scientific study, and more generally, into our interactions with the natural world.

Recommended Citation

McGuire, Jane Hallie, "Walking with the Wild: Finding an Ethic of Compassion in Conservation" (2019). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 11375.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/11375