--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A true conservationist is a man who knows…" description: "\"A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.\" — John James Audubon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/john-james-audubon-9371_children_a-true-conservationist-is-a-man-who-know_3133986.jpg" --- # A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world… ![“A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” quote by John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/john-james-audubon-9371_children_a-true-conservationist-is-a-man-who-know_3133986.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/john-james-audubon-9371_children_a-true-conservationist-is-a-man-who-know_3133986.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/john-james-audubon-9371_children_a-true-conservationist-is-a-man-who-know_3133986.jpg) > “A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A conservationist sees the Earth as a temporary loan for future generations, not a permanent inheritance. **In simple terms:** Earth is borrowed from kids. Key Takeaway Protect resources for future generations. Themes environment responsibility legacy Mood reflective concerned Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - education - community projects - family discussions Key Concepts Stewardship intergenerational ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure policies protect future generations? - What personal actions reflect this mindset? A Different Perspective Challenges include balancing economic growth with preservation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Conservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservation/) [Conservationist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservationist/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environmental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environmental/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The world is not given by our fathers, but borrowed from our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-world-is-not-given-by-our-fathers-but-borrowed-from-our-children/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I have read many definitions of what is a conservationist, and written not a few myself, but I suspect that the best one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/i-have-read-many-definitions-of-what-is-a-conservationist-and-written/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [ A conservationist is one who is humbly aware that with each stroke \[of the axe\] he is writing his signature on the face of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/a-conservationist-is-one-who-is-humbly-aware-that-with-each-stroke-of-2/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [Today, I’m a conservationist because I believe that my species doesn’t have the right or option to determine the fate of other species, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-corwin/today-i-m-a-conservationist-because-i-believe-that-my-species-doesn-t/) [Jeff Corwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-corwin/) > [ A conservationist is one who is humbly aware that with each stroke \[of the axe\] he is writing his signature on the face of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldo-leopold/a-conservationist-is-one-who-is-humbly-aware-that-with-each-stroke-of/) [Aldo Leopold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldo-leopold/) > [I am speaking of the life of a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-am-speaking-of-the-life-of-a-man-who-knows-that-the-world-is-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [You know the old expression "We haven't inherited the world from our parents, we've borrowed it from our children"? Well it's just not true.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/you-know-the-old-expression-we-haven-t-inherited-the-world-from-our/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“I turned to find him grinning. “You need a shower, I need a shower, let’s save water by taking one together.” “When did you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micalea-smeltzer/i-turned-to-find-him-grinning-you-need-a-shower-i-need-a-shower-let-s/) [Micalea Smeltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micalea-smeltzer/) > [I am more of a conservationist, myself. And people have come to me and said, "Wow, you're an African-American conservationist!" And my response is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-ringo/i-am-more-of-a-conservationist-myself-and-people-have-come-to-me-and/) [Jerome Ringo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-ringo/) > [“All we did was have facilitators and the jargon - talk, talk, talk. I went through that more than once. The facilitator, not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-starbuck/all-we-did-was-have-facilitators-and-the-jargon-talk-talk-talk-i-went/) Susan Starbuck > [“If a conservationist has more stathmin, less risk-taking gene, and the pro-drilling advocate has less stathmin, more risk-taking gene, how can the two have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/if-a-conservationist-has-more-stathmin-less-risk-taking-gene-and-the/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [I have been, all my life, what is known as a conservationist. It seems clear beyond possibility of argument that any given generation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderick-haig-brown/i-have-been-all-my-life-what-is-known-as-a-conservationist-it-seems/) [Roderick Haig-Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roderick-haig-brown/) > [“A man could shoot thirty ducks if it pleased him, and then shoot thirty more the next day, and it was perfectly legal. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-bechtel/a-man-could-shoot-thirty-ducks-if-it-pleased-him-and-then-shoot/) Stefan Bechtel > [I am a conservationist. It is in my DNA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-bacon/i-am-a-conservationist-it-is-in-my-dna/) [Louis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-bacon/) > [“It is those who have compassion for all life who will best safeguard the life of man. Those who become aroused only when man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-way-teale/it-is-those-who-have-compassion-for-all-life-who-will-best-safeguard/) [Edwin Way Teale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-way-teale/) ## More by John James Audubon > [All trembling, I reached the Falls of Niagara, and oh, what a scene! My blood shudders still, although I am not a coward, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/all-trembling-i-reached-the-falls-of-niagara-and-oh-what-a-scene-my/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [From the top of a high rock, I obtained a good few of the most extensive and dreary wilderness I ever beheld. It chilled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/from-the-top-of-a-high-rock-i-obtained-a-good-few-of-the-most/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [To repay evils with kindness is the religion I was taught to practise, and this will forever be my rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/to-repay-evils-with-kindness-is-the-religion-i-was-taught-to-practise/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [Surrounded by all the members of my dear family, enjoying the affection of numerous friends, who have never abandoned me, and possessing a sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/surrounded-by-all-the-members-of-my-dear-family-enjoying-the/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [I cannot help but think a curious event is this life of mine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/i-cannot-help-but-think-a-curious-event-is-this-life-of-mine/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [In America, business is the first object in view at all times, and rightly it should be so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/in-america-business-is-the-first-object-in-view-at-all-times-and/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [I looked long and carefully at the picture of a stag painted by Landseer - the style was good, and the brush was handled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/i-looked-long-and-carefully-at-the-picture-of-a-stag-painted-by/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [Almost every day, instead of going to school, I made for the fields, where I spent my day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/almost-every-day-instead-of-going-to-school-i-made-for-the-fields/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [How could I make a little book, when I have seen enough to make a dozen large books?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/how-could-i-make-a-little-book-when-i-have-seen-enough-to-make-a/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [The fact is I am growing old too fast, alas! I feel it, and yet work I will, and may God grant me life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/the-fact-is-i-am-growing-old-too-fast-alas-i-feel-it-and-yet-work-i/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [My drawings at first were made altogether in watercolors, but they wanted softness and a great deal of finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/my-drawings-at-first-were-made-altogether-in-watercolors-but-they/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [July 2. A beautiful day for Labrador. Went ashore and killed nothing, but was pleased with what I saw. The country is so grandly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/july-2-a-beautiful-day-for-labrador-went-ashore-and-killed-nothing/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [The Fur Company may be called the exterminating medium of these wild and almost uninhabitable regions, which cupidity or the love of money alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/the-fur-company-may-be-called-the-exterminating-medium-of-these-wild/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [To have been torn from the study would have been as death; my time was entirely occupied with art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/to-have-been-torn-from-the-study-would-have-been-as-death-my-time-was/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [Because my father was often absent on naval duty, my mother suffered me to do much as I pleased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/because-my-father-was-often-absent-on-naval-duty-my-mother-suffered/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) [Explore all 73 John James Audubon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. 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