Ecologists on a Mission to Save the World

There is a growing debate over how far environmental scientists should go in interpreting their findings for policy-makers. While some leading ecologists are urging their colleagues to inject their findings--and themselves--into policy debates, other warn that activism will erode the discipline9s credibility, as environmental scientists and environmental activists become increasingly indistinguishable in the eyes of the public. To this, scientist-advocates counter that the key is to make it clear that when they are taking a stand, they are doing so not as a scientist but as a citizen, and that their views are based on values.