Why would a reasonable person want to spend spare time clearing trails, fighting a battle against invasive species or installing kiosks? Why would a person work as a steward, maintaining properties and dealing with occasional paperwork? Why in the world would a reasonable person agree to volunteer time, energy and experience to help govern a nonprofit organization? And why would a maximizing homo economicus want to contribute hard-earned resources to the cause of local conservation?
There may be as many reasons as there are volunteers. Some of my reasons are quite pedestrian: I enjoy being outdoors with friends and with people who are likely to become friends. I enjoy seeing an immediate fruit of labor. I think I am contributing in at least a small way to the community. And a lot of it is fun.
But there may be larger considerations. Most of us have a desire to participate in an enterprise larger than ourselves. In volunteering for Joshua’s Trust, we are helping to conserve land and historic places into perpetuity; our contributions exceed our lifetimes. Our efforts to preserve large areas of unfragmented forests may promote resilience and biodiversity into the future. Introducing children to the wonders of the outdoors may result in changed attitudes toward conservation and the promotion of nature.
There may also be an unintended positive consequence. In these sometimes fraught times, social discourse can become unpleasant and ultimately counterproductive. Working with Joshua’s Trust fosters a different ethos. In the course of governance and the performance of projects, differences necessarily arise. Our tradition is to respect and to consider opposing opinions and to promote a civil society. If we want to encourage thoughtful, civil virtue, Joshua’s Trust may be a good place to start.
~ Rob Beach, Vice President, Joshua’s Trust
Thanks, Rob. Well said.