Our Mission

Earthfire’s Mission is to reawaken our deep connection to wildlife and nature through Reconnection Ecology®, expanding our sense of community to include all living beings and moving us to protect thriving habitats for all life.

Reconnection Ecology® is the practice of awakening our bonds to nature in order to spur both individual and collective change.

Research tells us that meaningful experiences in nature can lead to profound changes in our worldview and behaviors. If we open ourselves to connecting deeply with the natural world, including with other species, those experiences can transform us—not just intellectually, but also emotionally, philosophically, even spiritually.

Humans represent the gravest threat to our planet’s future. Natural threats such as super volcanoes, asteroids, and earthquakes may result in disaster, but human machinations are a proven, predictable force of mass destruction. Yet, with our remarkable intelligence and capacity for compassion, we also have the ability to recover what we’ve damaged and serve as Earth’s greatest advocates and protectors. The question is, why aren’t we?

Belonging to something bigger than oneself… can shift worldviews in ways that little else can, especially when it comes to forming durable motivations for conservation.

– Matthew J. Zylstra, Ph.D., Connectedness as a Core Conservation Concern: An Interdisciplinary Review of Theory and a Call for Practice

While the reasons are complex, at the root is a simple fact: we are increasingly disconnected from the natural world. We share the planet with millions of other species, yet interact with very few. We live under the illusion we are no longer dependent on nature. As biodiversity continues to collapse, we fail to see the rapid extinction of other species as a threat to our own survival.

Many of us share the belief that global collective action—championed at the highest levels of government and corporate leadership—is needed to address the environmental crises before us. But we don’t often acknowledge that the power of collective action rests in our individual relationships to the natural world and our personal commitment to protecting it.

Transformation at the personal level can, over time, shift values and belief systems in societies. Developing a visceral, emotional relationship with another being or part of the natural world can instill in us the passion to defend it, drawing on our newfound wisdom to create practical solutions to ecological crises. Simply put, with deep connection, we are moved to protect what we love.

Guiding Principles

Our guiding principles keep us on track, hold us to account, and ensure that Earthfire Institute holds to its vision with integrity through time.

We see ourselves as a part of a community working toward a shared vision of flourishing habitats for all Life. These are living, breathing principles used in practice to inform everything we do and to guide us in our decision making individually and together.

  1. All Life is Sacred is the foundation for how we live, treat each other (human and non-human), and make decisions. We honor the voices and value of all living beings and the land. We celebrate the diversity of Life.
  2. Animal Care and the Reciprocal Relationships we form with them are the essence of Earthfire and our primary commitment. We work to create a heart-oriented culture as an organization and as a local and global community through our deep unwavering commitment to the animals under our care.
  3. Reconnection Ecology® is a path to realizing safe havens for all Life. It offers a depth of connection that energizes us and serves as an invitation to humanity to revive our relationship with nature. We tune into the intelligence of Life and trust our own inherent wisdom as a basis for our actions in care of our Earth.
  4. Inspirational Leadership and Global Collaboration are essential for real change now. We partner with others who are working toward a shared vision of a more conscious world, fostering a movement of sacred activists.
  5. Whole Earth, Innovative, Systemic Thinking and Action is required for meeting our current crises and shepherding a new story of hope and renewal. Our approach includes deep listening, shared leadership, bold imagination, and courage to realize our vision.