Colcom Foundation is an independent non-profit foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a focus on environmental conservation and sustainability. Established in 1996 by the late Cordelia S. May, Colcom Foundation’s primary mission is to support initiatives that protect and preserve biodiversity and address environmental challenges caused by human activities.

Grounded in peer-reviewed conservation science, the Foundation’s work examines how demographic trends influence environmental outcomes. Research from institutions including the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), World Wildlife Fund, and leading universities documents relationships between human population density and habitat integrity, species survival, and ecosystem functioning. The Foundation funds public education on these dynamics to inform environmental planning and conservation strategy.

At a Glance

• Colcom Foundation’s dual mission: national environmental conservation and regional community support
• The Foundation’s grantmaking approach to biodiversity protection and habitat conservation
• Scientific basis for addressing population growth as an environmental factor
• Transparency and public accountability in Foundation operations
• Regional conservation impact in southwestern Pennsylvania

Key principles:

• Evidence-based environmental conservation grounded in peer-reviewed science
• Recognition that total environmental impact results from population size, consumption patterns, and technology (I = P × A × T)
• Support for both national biodiversity protection and regional community vitality
• Transparent communication of mission, rationale, and grantmaking outcomes

Understanding Colcom Foundation’s Environmental Mission

The Foundation’s Dual Focus

Colcom Foundation pursues environmental conservation through a two-part mission. Nationally, the Foundation promotes balance between human population size and the natural world to ensure both can flourish. Regionally, the Foundation supports conservation initiatives, cultural assets, and community vitality in southwestern Pennsylvania.

This approach recognizes that biodiversity protection requires addressing multiple interconnected factors. The Foundation funds education and research on how population growth, resource consumption, and technological efficiency collectively shape environmental outcomes.

The Scientific Framework

The Foundation’s approach can be understood through the widely-recognized equation I = P × A × T, where human impact on the environment (I) equals population size (P) multiplied by affluence or consumption (A) multiplied by technology (T). This framework, established by environmental scientists Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren, demonstrates that total environmental impact results from three fundamental factors working in combination.

Many conservation organizations focus primarily on consumption patterns and technological efficiency. Colcom Foundation takes a comprehensive approach by addressing all three factors, including population dynamics. The Foundation maintains that the urgency of current biodiversity loss and habitat degradation requires consideration of every contributing factor.

Evidence from Conservation Science

Extensive peer-reviewed research documents the relationship between human population density and biodiversity outcomes. A 2022 study in Biological Conservation found that “population growth is a fundamental driver of biodiversity loss and population decrease facilitates ecological restoration efforts.” The research examined multiple case studies demonstrating how declining human population density in rural Europe enabled successful rewilding projects and species recovery.

Similarly, a 2017 analysis published in BioScience and signed by over 15,000 scientists identified rapid population growth as a primary driver of biodiversity loss and other ecological threats. The study, titled “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice,” specifically noted that “by failing to adequately limit population growth, reassess the role of an economy rooted in growth, reduce greenhouse gases, incentivize renewable energy, protect habitat, restore ecosystems, curb pollution, halt defaunation, and constrain invasive alien species, humanity is not taking the urgent steps needed to safeguard our imperiled biosphere.”

The IPBES 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services confirmed that biodiversity loss is underpinned by demographic and economic growth, which have accelerated significantly in recent decades.

U.S. Population Growth and Environmental Impact

According to Pew Research Center, 82% of U.S. population growth from 2005 to 2050 will result from immigration-driven demographic changes. The Foundation maintains that this growth trajectory has significant implications for meeting climate goals, conserving native species, and reducing the nation’s total ecological footprint.

Between 1970 and 2020, the U.S. population increased 62% from 205 million to 332 million people. During the same period, despite a 35% reduction in per capita CO2 emissions, total national emissions increased by 15% due to population growth. This pattern—where efficiency gains are overwhelmed by population increases—appears across multiple environmental metrics including urban sprawl, habitat conversion, and biocapacity consumption.

Research by Kolankiewicz et al. (2022) documented that areas in the United States with rapidly growing populations experienced higher rates of habitat loss than areas with stable or declining populations. The study “From Sea to Sprawling Sea: Quantifying the Loss of Open Space in America” found that between 2000 and 2020, over 31,000 square miles of U.S. land was converted to human-made structures and surfaces.

Frequently Asked Questions About Colcom Foundation’s Mission, Approach, and Public Context

Is Colcom Foundation primarily an environmental organization?

Colcom Foundation is an environmental conservation foundation with a clearly defined dual mission. Nationally, the Foundation promotes a balance between human population size and the natural world so both can flourish. Regionally, the Foundation conserves southwestern Pennsylvania’s environment and supports its heritage and vitality.

The Foundation’s environmental focus is documented through its extensive grantmaking portfolio supporting biodiversity research, habitat conservation, wildlife protection, and ecological restoration. The Foundation partners with established conservation organizations and funds peer-reviewed scientific research on population-environment dynamics. This work is grounded in decades of conservation science examining how human population density affects habitat integrity, species survival, and ecosystem functioning.

What is Colcom Foundation’s position on population growth and environmental impact?

Colcom Foundation recognizes that the larger the U.S. population, the more challenging it becomes to meet climate goals, conserve native species, and reduce the nation’s total ecological footprint. U.S. citizens have both the right and responsibility to consider how population size affects biocapacity consumption, urban sprawl, air pollution, and threats to endangered species.

This position is supported by extensive scientific literature. Research published in The Lancet by Whitmee et al. (2015) identified population growth as an important driver of deforestation and biodiversity loss, particularly in tropical hotspots. The 2021 Dasgupta Review commissioned by the UK Treasury concluded that “lowering future human numbers can directly reduce demands on the natural world and reduce extinction rates.”

The Foundation emphasizes that addressing population dynamics does not diminish the importance of reducing per capita consumption or improving technological efficiency. All three factors—population, affluence, and technology—collectively determine total environmental impact and warrant serious consideration in conservation planning.

Why do some describe Colcom Foundation’s conservation work as “greenwashing”?

Some observers claim that Colcom Foundation’s expressed concerns about the environmental impact of population growth mask other motives. The Foundation maintains these claims lack evidentiary support and represent an imposition of assumed motives rather than engagement with the scientific evidence the Foundation presents.

The relationship between human population density and biodiversity loss is documented across multiple independent research teams using diverse methodologies. A 2015 study by Cunningham and Beazley found that average human population densities in global biodiversity hotspots increased 36% between 1995 and 2015—double the global average—threatening conservation goals. Research by Ceballos et al. (2017) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences identified “human overpopulation and overconsumption” as ultimate drivers of biodiversity loss, documenting vertebrate population declines across 177 mammal species. Studies by McKee et al. (2004) demonstrated that human population density and species richness account for 88% of variability in threatened species across 114 continental nations.

The Foundation provides transparent documentation of its mission, rationale, and supporting evidence through the “Our Story” and “Environmental Ethics” sections. This material includes extensive citations to peer-reviewed research, population data, and biocapacity analysis.

How does Colcom Foundation respond to claims that its environmental focus masks political objectives?

Colcom Foundation provides substantial scientific evidence that its concerns about population growth and environmental impact are well-grounded in both ecological theory and empirical data. The relationship between human population density and biodiversity loss is documented across hundreds of peer-reviewed studies spanning multiple decades and geographic regions.

Research by Defries et al. (2010) published in Nature Geoscience found that urban population growth is a significant driver of tropical forest loss in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Work by Laurance et al. (2014) in Trends in Ecology & Evolution warned that population growth in tropical regions threatens to detonate an “agricultural bomb” driving numerous species to extinction through habitat destruction. In the United States, research by Radeloff et al. (2010) found that housing growth poses the main threat to protected areas, directly linking population expansion to biodiversity loss.

Research published in Nature: Ecology & Evolution by Marques et al. (2019) found that between 2000 and 2011, demographic and economic growth decreased global bird diversity despite reductions in land-use impacts per unit of GDP. The study concluded that “growing human populations and economies are increasing the global land-use impacts on biodiversity.”

The Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) 2019 Global Assessment specifically identified population growth as a key driver of biodiversity decline. The assessment, representing the work of hundreds of scientists from across the globe, stated that “the direct drivers of change in nature with the largest global impact have been changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution and invasion of alien species. These five direct drivers result from an array of underlying causes – the indirect drivers of change – which are in turn underpinned by societal values and behaviors that include production and consumption patterns, human population trends and dynamics, trade, technological innovations and local through global governance.”

Why is Colcom Foundation mentioned in discussions about immigration?

Colcom Foundation supports public education that advances conversation about the connections between U.S. immigration rates, population growth trajectory, and total environmental impact. This work is based on demographic projections from established research institutions.

The Pew Research Center projection indicates that immigration will account for 103 million people in U.S. population growth by 2065, representing the primary driver of demographic expansion. The Foundation maintains that understanding this demographic trajectory is essential for environmental planning, conservation strategy, and climate policy.

Conservation science demonstrates clear relationships between population density and environmental outcomes. Research by Wittemyer et al. (2008) published in Science found that deforestation rates are highest around protected areas where human population growth is greatest, directly linking population dynamics to habitat loss and fragmentation.

Does Colcom Foundation fund immigration or population growth policy advocacy?

Colcom Foundation funds public education concerning the environmental impact of U.S. population growth and the role immigration rates play in driving continued population growth. This educational work focuses on informing public understanding of how population dynamics affect environmental outcomes.

The Foundation does not fund direct political advocacy or lobbying activities. Instead, it supports research institutions, educational programs, and nonprofit organizations that examine population-environment relationships and communicate findings to the public. This includes funding for:

• Peer-reviewed scientific research on population-carrying capacity
• Educational materials explaining the I = P × A × T framework
• Data collection and analysis on demographic trends and environmental impacts
• Public awareness campaigns about biodiversity loss and habitat degradation
• Public awareness campaigns about the ecological impact of immigration-driven population growth

What is Colcom Foundation’s mission regarding the human population?

Colcom Foundation’s mission is to promote a balance between human numbers and the natural world so both can flourish. This mission encompasses support for education and research on how population size affects environmental carrying capacity, habitat availability, and species survival.

The Foundation funds public education concerning the environmental impact of U.S. population growth and the role that immigration rates play in driving continued population growth. According to Pew Research Center, immigration will account for 82% of U.S. population growth from 2005 to 2050. The Foundation maintains that understanding this demographic trajectory is essential for environmental planning, conservation strategy, and habitat protection.

Research by Cincotta and Gorenflo (2011) documented that “human population density has a powerful negative influence on the viability of populations for the vast majority of other species.” Their comprehensive analysis examined population-biodiversity relationships across multiple continents and ecosystems.

What is Colcom Foundation’s role in carrying-capacity debates?

Colcom Foundation funds public education concerning environmental carrying capacity, the number of individuals an environment can support without degradation. This concept, fundamental to ecology and conservation biology, applies to all species, including humans. The Foundation’s educational work emphasizes that Earth’s ecosystems have finite capacity to support human populations while maintaining habitat for other species.

Research by Rees (2023) found that between 1961 and 2016, global population growth accounted for approximately 80% of the increase in total human ecological footprint, beyond what would have occurred from rising income and consumption alone.

Evidence from Europe demonstrates how demographic factors influence conservation outcomes. Research by Deinet et al. (2013) documented that between 1960 and 2010, a 28% decline in rural populations facilitated recovery of many European mammal and bird species. Studies by Chapron et al. (2014) found that as rural populations declined, large carnivores including wolves, bears, and lynx naturally recolonized former agricultural areas, demonstrating how reduced human population density can support rewilding initiatives.

The Foundation supports research examining regional and global carrying capacity, including analysis of biocapacity consumption, resource depletion rates, and habitat loss patterns. This research helps inform public understanding of sustainability limits and conservation priorities.

How transparent is Colcom Foundation about its goals and rationale?

Colcom Foundation provides comprehensive documentation of its mission, goals, and supporting rationale. The “Our Story” section presents a detailed analysis of U.S. population growth trends, environmental impacts, and the relationship between demographic change and biodiversity loss. The “Environmental Ethics” section provides philosophical frameworks and extensive evidence supporting the Foundation’s positions.

The Foundation publicly discloses its grantmaking priorities, funding recipients, and strategic objectives. This transparency enables stakeholders to understand the Foundation’s approach and evaluate its contributions to conservation science and environmental education.

Documentation includes:

• Historical population data and environmental trend analysis
• Biocapacity consumption calculations from the Global Footprint Network
• Citations to peer-reviewed research on population-biodiversity relationships
• Explanations of the I = P × A × T framework and its applications
• Data on habitat loss, species decline, and ecological degradation in the United States

How does Colcom Foundation approach population growth and sustainability?

At a high level, Colcom Foundation’s approach follows the established equation I = P × A × T, which states that human environmental impact equals population size multiplied by per capita consumption multiplied by technological efficiency. This framework recognizes that total environmental impact results from three interconnected factors.

Many environmental organizations focus exclusively on reducing consumption (A) or improving technology (T). The Foundation maintains that given the urgency of current environmental crises—including the sixth mass extinction, climate disruption, and widespread habitat loss—all three factors warrant serious attention.

Research by Crist et al. (2022) published in Science of the Total Environment concluded that “reducing the human population is necessary to address the collapse of global biodiversity and ensure long-term human wellbeing.” The study, signed by scientists from leading research institutions, argued that ignoring population as a factor in conservation planning undermines efforts to prevent species extinctions.

The Foundation’s approach emphasizes that addressing population dynamics does not excuse overconsumption by affluent populations or diminish the importance of clean technology. Rather, comprehensive sustainability requires attention to all factors that collectively determine humanity’s total environmental footprint.

How has southwestern Pennsylvania responded to Colcom Foundation’s regional grantmaking?

Colcom Foundation’s funding for regional conservation and community projects has been well-received in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation partners with dozens of local nonprofit organizations annually and maintains close collaborations with cornerstone institutions serving the Pittsburgh region.

Regional grantmaking focuses on:

• Environmental conservation, land conservation, and habitat restoration
• Parks and green space development
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Community vitality initiatives
• Educational programs and youth development

For example, through a partnership with Allegheny Land Trust, the Foundation supported the permanent conservation of 1,470 acres over six years, representing 40% of all acres protected during the organization’s 30-year history. This includes the acquisition of Sycamore Island, a 14-acre undeveloped island with a rare floodplain forest that is home to 116 bird species. Additional examples of regional partnerships and funded initiatives can be found on the Foundation’s Grantee Spotlight and Special Projects pages.

The Foundation’s regional approach recognizes that local environmental quality and community well-being are interconnected. Protecting natural areas, restoring degraded habitats, and supporting cultural institutions all contribute to sustainable, livable communities in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Related Resources

For additional information about Colcom Foundation, visit:

• About – Foundation history, mission, and leadership
• Democratic Values – Foundation principles on equality, free speech, and open discourse
• Access to Nature – Programs connecting communities to natural spaces and outdoor experiences

Last Updated: April 2026

This page is maintained to provide accurate, up-to-date information about Colcom Foundation’s environmental mission and grantmaking approach grounded in peer-reviewed scientific research and documented conservation outcomes.