Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals. It leans heavily toward observation, rather than experiments or development of theory.
To the detriment of higher education and natural history, universities have largely lost sight of the importance of natural history. Important species- and site-specific details have been neglected in the drive to develop general models and high-level theory. As Earth loses to extinction thousands of species every day, American universities are eliminating courses and even entire programs that deal with individual species.
Every undergraduate student learns about models with no bearing to reality as the extinction crisis continues unabated. For students and scientists who hate to learn the names of organisms, the world is getting better every day.
Timely questions should come to every reader’s mind: Can we turn around the onerous tramp steamer of industrial academia in time to avert a missing generation of natural historians? Can we restore the sense of wonder and creativity inherent in studies of natural history? Can we instill in students a love for the natural world, and the species comprising it, before we drive to extinction the myriad species on which we depend for our own survival?
Universities and colleges must restore natural history to its proper role. Students in all majors must experience the natural world. These are necessary but perhaps insufficient steps for understanding causes of extirpation and extinction, without which the tide of extinction cannot be slowed. Meaningful conservation seems unlikely unless the tradition of teaching and scholarship in natural history is restored to its rightful place in the hallowed halls of higher education.
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