Bianca Sanchez, bianca.sanchez@sierraclub.org
PORTLAND, ME. – Today, Sierra Club Maine has released Episode 1 of a nine-episode podcast called “Redefining Conservation.” The new educational series dives into Maine’s goal of preserving 30 percent of the state's land, water, and forestry by 2030. Podcast hosts Nyalat Biliew, Grassroots Organizer, and Matt Cannon, State Conservation and Energy Director, explore this mission's impact on the state and the innovative strategies currently underway to achieve it.
“Redefining Conservation” also considers the intersection between conservation and other forms of social justice and equity. A key tenet of the nationwide 30x30 campaign is partnership with BIPOC communities, Tribal Nations, and other communities disproportionately impacted by the devastating impacts of climate change. Throughout the series, Biliew and Cannon interview multiple key stakeholders, community organizers, and movement builders who are working to create a shared conservation future for all Mainers.
Read More on 30x30 Maine Here.
Achieving the 30x30 goal is crucial to the Maine Won’t Wait Plan, a four-year climate plan first released by the state in 2020. By preserving land and waterways, local leaders can help shift social structures away from an exploitative economy built on fossil fuels. Instead, the state can advance sustainability, ecosystem protection, and interdependence.
“Redefining Conservation” was produced by Nyalat Biliew, Anna Siegel, Minot Weld, Matt Cannon, Nasreen Sheihk-Yousef, Grace Deng and Philip Mathieu. Guests interviewed on the podcast include Amara Ifeji, Lokotah Sandborn, Eliza Townsend, John Hagan, Glenn Page, and more.
Nyalat Biliew, Sierra Club Maine Grassroot organizer, issued the following statement
I really enjoyed this work and the opportunity to engage our communities with our campaign. I love hosting this podcast and meeting forward-thinking environmental rights advocates such as Lokotah Sanborn who offers a nuanced perspective on the role of allies, nonprofits, and foundations in the environmental movement. He emphasizes the need for these entities to undergo a deep learning process that encompasses not only the history of their organizations but also the history of the communities they aim to serve and protect. .
Matt Cannon, Sierra Club Maine State Conservation and Energy Director, also issued the following statement on the podcast launch:
“We are excited to share the stories of community organizers and other voices behind the 30x30 movement each week on ‘Redefining Conservation.’
Maine’s local landscape is essential to its character, culture, and recreation. Equitable protections for these treasured spaces help address the climate crisis and ensure access to natural resources for all.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.