Umm, I would say from pretty much its very conception. You do realize that most of the park is dedicated to the concepts of educating visitors on the concepts of the importance of conservation and naturalization. The animals that are highlighted throughout the park are all either endangered species or close-to being endangered. There were 2 new Sumatran Tiger cubs recently born in this park, and this species is estimated to only have approximately 500 of its kind remaining in the wild. Now there are 502, thanks to WDW and the programs that this park is committed to. Furthermore, DAK through the TWDC
actively donates to help preserve endangered animals (i.e., Kenyan elephants).
Also, through educating the guests - which happens pretty much everywhere throughout the park - we become more aware of the peril that some of these species face so that they hopefully don't end up extinct like the dinosaurs in DinoLand. We donated after we paid to go on the Wild Africa Trek (the best upcharge anywhere in WDW).
And I give the Imagineers credit for what they did with Pandora. This was an IP - not Disney-owned - that Joe Rohde and his team were asked to somehow shoehorn in and have it make sense somehow in DAK. And to their credit, they did a great job with it. The FoP ride explains why certain animals known as keystone predators are significant to their respective environments. All throughout Pandora itself, there are man-made relics that are slowly being reclaimed by nature, demonstrating how even though man may think it has control over nature, it really doesn't. Also, the boat ride into the Na'vi rain forest is more than a ride with projects and one animatronic. Rohde and his team worked to show how important it is to remain in concert with nature as opposed to trying to control it. That is part of the point of that ride in particular. But, we all see things how we want to see them.
My question is why does it matter if Living with the Land "beat them to it" as you put it? I love that ride, but what is so wrong with taking that idea and expanding upon it and making it even better. That to me is what DAK does in this case. It is a unique experience among the Orlando theme parks, marrying fun rides, incredible immersive environments, great animal exhibits, shows, music, food and an education on conservation and the importance in taking care of the world that we share with other species.
@MommaBerd isn't the only one with a soapbox.