Why are private landowners important to conservation of wildlife? Ninety percent of the land in the Western Hemisphere is privately owned. The private landowner is the key to preserving more than ninety percent of all species for future generations.
Why should private landowners protect wildlife? At this moment there is no reason for landowners (public or private) to conserve biodiversity. That is why we are seeing millions of acres of habitat cleared and burned every year. Twenty percent of all greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere as habitat is cleared for our human economic activities. There are no economic incentives for private lands conservation.
Wildlife habitat must be given a reason to exist besides the fact that we love it. We have been given a moment in time to reverse the trend and to give real value to all wildlife species. We know the system works if we just look at other models; recreational hunting and fishing, golf and the multitude of other recreational activities. Digital photography, the computers and the Internet have allowed humans this single opportunity to create, develop and implement the private lands Nature Photo Tourism Industry.
There are two essential elements to the successful development of the private lands Nature Photo Tourism Industry; private landowners and traveling nature photographers.
Without either one of these two groups there is no industry. The opportunity now is to convert a $2 billion a year industry in to a $100 billion industry over the next 25 years.
The industry will create hundreds of thousands of new constituents for conservation. The key is sustainable economic development that creates a new conservation industry.
Education of landowners and photographers is the key to developing a successful industry. Most private landowners are not aware of the diversity of wildlife on their land or that photographers would be willing to pay for a successful photographic adventure that offered great full frame photography of a multitude of species.
The unique advantages of privately owned land are privacy, security of equipment and person.
Most photographers are only aware of public lands, zoos, or game farms for enjoying their passion. Private lands offer real adventure with wild subjects that are not in cages, but are simply acclimated to humans that don’t shoot at them with real bullets.
The adventure of private land is the opportunity to photograph everything from birds ..and butterflies to bucks and Bobcats.
Starting the new industry in Texas makes sense because it is the second most biodiverse state in the U. S and is 94% privately owned. There are abundant populations of wild cats, Javelina, Gray Fox, Badger, Coyote, snakes and amphibians. All of these subjects and thousands more are available on private lands open to the public for photography.
However, the long-term goal is the Pro-Tour of the Western Hemisphere and a thriving private lands Nature Photo Tourism Industry worldwide.
“I believe if we can dream it, we can make it happen”
* Please click on the region of interest to the left.
