Building conservation systems that last: how gary tabor champions large landscape protection over piecemeal preservation

While many conservationists measure success by counting acres saved or species recovered, ecologist and wildlife veterinarian Gary Tabor takes a fundamentally different approach. He focuses on building interconnected conservation systems that can withstand mounting environmental pressures—what he calls the “architecture” of conservation.

Tabor’s philosophy was shaped during childhood summers in New York’s Adirondack Park, where he climbed all 46 peaks above 4,000 feet and learned to navigate the wilderness waterways. The Adirondacks showed him how lasting conservation works: protected by the state’s “Forever Wild” constitutional clause, this landscape has remained virtually unchanged for generations, proving that wilderness and human communities can coexist when proper frameworks are established.

His scientific training took him to East Africa for nearly a decade, where he witnessed the limitations of traditional “island” conservation. At Kenya’s Lake Nakuru, Tabor observed how even iconic parks fail when they’re fenced off from surrounding landscapes. Wildlife naturally crosses boundaries, but governance systems often don’t account for these movements, creating isolated patches that struggle to maintain healthy ecosystems over time.

This experience reinforced Tabor’s conviction that effective conservation requires thinking beyond individual protected areas. Instead of focusing solely on preserving specific places, he emphasizes creating connections between habitats—building resilient networks that can adapt to changing conditions. His work represents a shift from viewing conservation as a collection of separate victories to understanding it as an interconnected system designed for long-term sustainability across vast landscapes.