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Why is
equity in
conservation important?

Land is foundational to human health and well-being, but the social and environmental benefits of land are not accessible to all communities.

Acknowledgement

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and other underserved communities remain disproportionately deprived of access to land even as fresh, healthy food, clean water, parks, and open space are broadly recognized as important social determinants of health. 

TerraCorps acknowledges that the foundation of the American conservation movement—LAND OWNERSHIP—is rooted in a racist system of policies and laws that displaced and segregated whole communities from the land they need to sustain themselves and thrive.

We acknowledge there can be no sustainable conservation until the interconnections of SOCIAL JUSTICE and ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE are embraced by the conservation movement at-large and we are committed to being a catalyst for change within our movement.

Our Impact

Together with our Service Site partners and our AmeriCorps service members, we are building an ecosystem of people and organizations working to protect and steward land for a broader diversity of community needs. We do this in the following ways:

Developing Leadership Through Service

Through our 11-month service program, we cultivate and grow a committed group of emerging leaders who devote their energy, willingness, and knowledge to local nonprofits.

Encouraging Inclusive Community Engagement

We encourage service members and partners to plan service projects that are inclusive of communities and peoples who are underrepresented in conservation movement.

Building Capacity of Local Nonprofit Partners

We strengthen the organizational capacity of local nonprofit organizations with AmeriCorps service member placements, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange.

Modeling Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

We strive to reflect our commitment to DEIB in our staff culture and growth while recognizing this as a long process in which we are continually learning and improving.

Workplace Culture
Vision, Mission, Ends
Leadership Team
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