Brian Yablonski – Action-Oriented Conservationist

Brian Yablonski is the Chief Executive Officer of the Property and Environment Research Center (“PERC”), a Bozeman-based research institute dedicated to promoting conservation by exploring how voluntary trade can produce positive environmental outcomes. For more than 40 years, PERC has explored market-based solutions for major conservation challenges throughout the West, and its current initiatives focus on innovative approaches for wildlife conservation, public lands management, and more. For example, PERC recently collaborated with the Greater Yellowstone Coalition and a ranching family in Paradise Valley, MT, to enact a first-of-its-kind elk occupancy agreement, which offers a new, win-win method for managing the sometimes-competing needs of livestock and wildlife.

Brian was born and raised on the east coast, and, prior to taking the helm at PERC, he enjoyed a successful career in public policy, business, and conservation. In 2018, he moved to Bozeman to lead PERC into its next chapter of conservation innovation in the West. As you’ll hear in this conversation, Brian has a deep respect for research, economic theory, and big ideas created by scholars and conservation professionals. But he is equally if not more, committed to putting these ideas into action– to making a tangible difference on the ground, throughout the communities of the West. In my experience, it can be difficult to find organizations that balance scholarly rigor with a commitment to execution, so it was a pleasure to speak with Brian and learn more about PERC’s unique approach to conservation.

Brian and I actually attended the same college in North Carolina, so it was fun to connect with a fellow Wake Forest Demon Deacon to discuss conservation here in the West. We started out discussing the history of PERC, and how and why the organization was founded back in 1980. We talked in detail about the elk occupancy agreement and how this new approach to wildlife and habitat management could be scaled throughout the West. We discuss the all-important role that private landowners play in wildlife and land conservation, and how market-based solutions can create new tools for finding win-win solutions. We discuss PERC’s work exploring the financial sustainability of National Parks, as well as PERC’s history of collaboration with a wide range of nonprofit and governmental entities. Brian shares his thoughts on the ideal role that government can play in conservation, and he discusses a few success stories of his careering in conservation. And as usual, we talk about book recommendations, and Brian offers up some great ones.

I’ve been following PERC’s work in the West for quite some time, so I thoroughly enjoyed being able to learn more about the organization directly from Brian. There are a lot of excellent resources mentioned in the episode, including some films that PERC has produced, so be sure to check out the notes for links to everything. Hope you enjoy!

Photos courtesy of Brian Yablonski and PERC

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