Photo: Nora Mitchell

The Institute is building a network for collaborative international exchange to offer fresh perspectives for conservation practitioners who face challenges close to home. International experiences can provide insight into the nature of conservation and the underlying assumptions of our culture by better understanding the world view of others. In bringing together people involved in conservation and parks in the U.S. and other countries, the Institute creates opportunities to learn from one another through exchanging both success stories and perspectives on the pressing challenges in conservation today. As the American parks system evolves to meet ever more complex priorities—which often involve how to conserve lived-in as well as more remote, sparsely populated landscapes—international models have much to offer.