Five years ago, on October 5, 2018, the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative (SGI) was officially born. Like any birth, it didn’t just magically occur. It was preceded by a long period of gestation and behind-the-scenes activities. We wouldn’t be where we are today without that gestation period or the people who supported SGI before it officially existed, but that’s a story for another day.
Today we are celebrating SGI’s 5th birthday, which includes changing our name from Southeastern Grasslands Initiative to Southeastern Grasslands Institute. We sat down with SGI’s co-founders, Dwayne Estes and Theo Witsell, to discuss SGI’s first five years and what’s in store for the next 5 years.
Q: What are you most proud of that SGI has accomplished so far?
Theo:
One of the things I’m proudest of is the enthusiasm and momentum that has grown around SGI. To me, that’s one of the most exciting things, because we’re still a young organization. We’re just starting to really accomplish some of the things that we set out to do.
But I see the amount of faith, time, and effort that people have invested in us, including people who Dwayne and I have looked up to for our whole careers. I see that as a sign that we are on the right path, that we’re doing something important and meaningful, and that it’s going to get results.
Then, of course, I am proud of all the things that we’ve accomplished. We’ve done a lot of significant research around the region in the last 5 years. We’ve also worked on and are continuing to work on multiple prairie re-creations and restorations.
But what I’m probably most proud of is that we’re also buying and protecting small, remnant grasslands. We are in the final stages of purchasing an approximately 5-acre remnant of a globally rare grassland community, and have others that we’re hoping to purchase soon. To me, this is critical and fills a void.
These small remnants are often passed over by other conservation organizations because they are small and can be expensive and challenging to manage. But they are also the last refuge for some of our most imperiled biodiversity. Those sites are so important, and I see us championing the cause of these small remnant ecosystems comprised of unique, ancient grasslands. Buying and preserving these sites is one of the most critical things we can do, and I’m very proud that we’re doing it.
Dwayne:
I agree with everything Theo just said. I’d also add that from a scientific and professional standpoint, our goal is to give grasslands an equal seat at the conservation table, and I think we’re getting close. We’re not quite there yet, but we’re closer than we’ve ever been.
Also, on a personal note, I’m proud that we’ve been able to re-create prairies in my own community – at Dunbar Cave State Park and other sites in the Clarksville area. These are places where, not only my family and I can retreat to, but also our friends, neighbors, and other community members. When we do grassland restorations and re-creations, we’re not just rebuilding grasslands, we’re also building communities and rebuilding ties to long forgotten histories.
Q: What do you think has been the key to SGI’s success?
Dwayne:
I think one of the main keys to our success is our focus on partnerships, collaboration, and relationship building. That has always been one of our key principles and is something that we always try to keep in the forefront. We know we can do far more together than any of us can ever accomplish individually.
Theo:
It’s sad and unfortunate, but sometimes you see conservation agencies who are working for the same end actively compete against each other. We decided very early on that we didn’t want to be like that. We wanted to work collaboratively with people and bring more resources to the collective table. We believe that success comes from partnering and collaborating with all kinds of different organizations and people, not in spite of those partnerships and collaborations.
Q: What are you most excited about for SGI as you look forward?
Dwayne:
What matters for us as an organization is that we’re making a real difference. We may not be a huge international conservation organization, but we’re still inspiring people and making a difference that leads to change.
I think, for the past five years that change and that difference has been felt mostly at a local scale. As I look forward to the next five years, I’m excited about finding ways to scale up the successes we’ve had locally into communities all across the Southeast.
And that’s part of why we’re changing our name from the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative to the Southeastern Grasslands Institute. We feel like we’ve gotten our feet under us and proven that we can do what we set out to do. Now it is time to grow and scale up. For example, we’re about to embark on a 500-acre prairie, savanna, and wetland restoration project 30 minutes outside Nashville, inspired by The Nature Conservancy’s Nachusa Prairie in Illinois.”
I’m also excited about the team we’ve put together and are continuing to put together. Our team now includes many different experts and people who have a wealth of contributions to make which I think will help us grow and scale up our activities. That’s something we didn’t have in the beginning when it was just Theo and I trying to do everything.
I’m also looking forward to continuing to see us grow and learn together. We’re still learning a lot about ourselves as a team. We’re still learning how to raise money and gain the kind of support we need to sustain this. We know we still have a lot to learn. But I think our message is compelling, and as long as we stay humble, grounded, and focused on what’s important, then all of these elements are going to continue to fall into place. It may not be easy, but I’m really excited about the next 5 years.
Theo:
I second all of that. I’m thrilled about expanding our footprint and beginning to work in parts of our focal region where we haven’t had the capacity in the past. I’m also thrilled about all of the partnerships that we are making along the way.
Q: Any final thoughts?
Theo:
We certainly owe a debt of gratitude to our families, our SGI team, our partners, and donors.
Dwayne:
Yes, we couldn’t have done any of this without their support and sacrifices.
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If you would like to help SGI make a difference and protect additional small, unique, ancient grasslands, please consider making a donation to the Robert C. and Deborah B. Hulse Prairie Acquisition Fund. Donations to the fund can be made through Austin Peay State University at https://givetoapsu.com/Hulse. All donations are tax deductible.
SHANNON TRIMBOLI, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Shannon helps the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative tell the forgotten and untold stories of our Southeastern grasslands.