From the International Crane Foundation.

• Author: Archibald, George
• Position: FROM READERS - Letter to the Editor

Congratulations on your excellent article, "A Challenge to Conservationists."

All conservationists from the developed world who work in the developing world must always be aware that they are guests ready to learn more than to teach.

Our culture comes with lots of imperialistic baggage. High on the list of contemporary imperialism is a phenomena I call "intellectual paralysis." Colleagues in the developing world are sometimes paralyzed by the manner in which professionals from the developed world communicate. Undoubtedly, the degree of IP correlates directly with the amount of cash the professional promises. Herein lies the risk for professionals from the big conservation NGOs.

The International Crane Foundation, a very small NGO, has long-term commitments to...