In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.Two hundred and fifty years into the American experiment of self-government, the United States has produced the greatest conservation success story in human history. This may sound strange in an era where America is more commonly portrayed as an environmental villain than an environmental pioneer. According to the media, Hollywood, and the political Left, the U.S. and its capitalist system built on the protection of property rights cares only about profit at the expense of wildlife and the environment, but the data thoroughly rejects this notion. In reality, the U.S. went from nearly exterminating much of its native wildlife in the late 19th century to becoming the global gold standard for wildlife restoration and conservation. We did it not through top-down control or anti-human environmentalism, but through a culture of hunting, private stewardship, scientific management, and widespread access to the outdoors.