Preview

Preservation vs Conservation

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
913 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Preservation vs Conservation
Preservation vs. Conservation 1

Preservation vs. Conservation

Preservation vs. Conservation 2

Earth is composed of many different ecosystems and each one is a “dynamic complex of plant, animal, and micro-organism communities interacting with the non-living environment as a functional unit" (Protecting Threatened Ecosystems, 2004). These ecosystems are an intricate part of the human lifecycle as they provide us with our water, food and energy. Since mankind is in a take and take some more relationship with the ecosystems, many of them have had their natural processes disrupted, not to mention the added pollution and excessive use. According to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, "Over 60% of all ecosystems on the globe are overexploited and have entered into a degradation cycle with often unknown consequences" (2004). How do we as humans combat this you ask? The answer, a simple one, is through ecosystem maintenance by conservation or preservation. Conservation and preservation are two important idealistic approaches to the protection of the environment. Preservation focuses on protection of the environment for its own sake; conservation sees protection of the environment for the purpose of human needs and desires. While preservation and conservation may have different underlying philosophies, it is important that both work together to help protect natural ecosystems. As one of the central issues of the environmental movement, the distinction between the two is not trivial.

Preservation vs. Conservation 3 Conservation views protection of the environment for the purpose of human needs and desires. Conservation may be defined as the sustainable use and management of natural resources. These include wildlife, water, air, and earth



References: Drury-Tillis, T.(2004). Protecting threatened ecosystems. Conservation & Preservation. Retrieved August 22, 2008 from: http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/sustainability/Older/Conservation_and_Preservation.html Jayser, D. L., (2007). Natural regulation. Retrieved August 22, 2008 from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A680050 Raven, P.H. and Berg, L.R. (2006). Environment (5th edition). John Wiley and Sons, Inc.: Hoboken, N.J.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    * Conservation is basically for human use. When people want to use land for oil drilling and build over something that has not been touch. Preservation wants to preserve the land and stop people from using it for other resources.…

    • 367 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Biol 101 Hw1

    • 1049 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Human activities threaten the biosphere by overpopulation and releasing chemicals into the air that interfere with natural processes and destroy other species' populations.…

    • 1049 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Bridger Teton

    • 288 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Conservation is the use and exploitation of the land in a sustainable way, or one might say to manage. Preservation is the protection of the land that limits use, in order to maintain a pristine condition or to protect. After my research, I do believe that humans can actually harvest forest resources in an environmentally friendly way. Does that mean we should? In my opinion, I think that each situation is different, based on the use of the land and what the condition of the land is that is trying to be used. In the case of the Bridger Teton National forest, I do feel that it should be left in its natural state. For so many years this land has been untouched, untamed and undiscovered. To take land of this nature for drilling, building roads and pipelines are not worth it. To the people of Wyoming it is more valuable than what you can get out of it from oil and gas. New technology should allow other ways to give us freedom for foreign oil. I really thought it was odd that the politicians were already calling “Management Area 71” which does not scream environmentally friendly.…

    • 288 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Module One Quiz

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages

    There are two ways that humans disrupt the proper functioning of ecosystems. One is by altering the structure of natural landscapes. Tearing down trees, which can be homes to different wildlife species, can do this. Another way humans disrupt the functioning of ecosystems is by altering soil composition.…

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Preservation is maintaining the earth keeping it in its original condition. Some areas of the Earth are, so far, untouched by humans. This is due to the concern that mankind is encroaching onto the environment at such a rate that many untamed landscapes are being given over to farming, industry, housing, tourism and other human developments, and that we our losing too much of what is 'natural'.…

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In our notes, conservationism is defined as an economic philosophy in which nature is used for the benefit of humans, nature is used in a responsible way so only part of the resource is used. This allows the resource to be available for future generations. Environmentalism is defined in our notes as an ethical philosophy in which nature should be left alone and not touched for natures' own sake and for the benefit of humans.…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Commodification led to people exploiting nature for centuries to come, which inspired people to make an attempt to conserve Earth’s resources so that they don't continue to be exploited. Gifford Pinchot, one of America’s foremost conservationists who coined the term ‘conservation,’ stated that “conservation means the greatest good to the greatest number for the longest time” (201). In his view, conservation revolved around the ideas of management, restoration, protection, and preservation of natural resources to find a balance between human activity and the workings of nature. He felt that unless we conserve the resources we have now, the future is not going to have room for progress or prosperity because it will lack resources (Pinchot 202). The main impact of conservationists was the shift in mindset, away from abusing nature, and towards realizing nature's importance.…

    • 1811 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    I am writing to you in regard to the Bridger -Teton National Forest. It is “the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 United States. Offering nearly 1.2 million acres of designated Wilderness, over 3,000 miles of road and trail and thousands of miles of unspoiled rivers and streams.” (USDA Forest Service)…

    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Checkpoint: Conserve and Preserve Tania Torres After make a research about the meaning of terms preservation and conservation I found a lots of debates to the respect. After my research I can define conservation like the wise use of the natural resources maintaining the sustainability of them for future generations. The term preservation can be define as do not use the natural resources and maintain them as natural as possible. In other words avoid the human interference with the natural resources, to keep them naturals. Those terms create a great debate. For some, the humans cannot harvest forest natural resources in an environmental friendly way, but I believe that it is possible. I think that actually we have a lot of new technology that can be used to conserve our human resources and maintain the sustainability. I believe we could have the better of the two worlds. Sometimes the end justified the means. For example although it is great that actually we can have a public land that has remained virtually untouched by human presence, but I think that the proposed use for this land can beneficial for much more people than hisactual use. I think that how the speaker said in the video, actually energy companies have a lot of new environmental friendly technology that allow them to use the resources wisely and conserve the land. References: Video. (2007). Bridger_ Teton Video Learning Resource_. Retrieved on March 22, 2009 from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/axia/sci275/multimedia/video/bridger_teton.htm N.A. (2009). The Great Debate: Conservation Vs. Preservation. Retrieved on March 22, 2009 from…

    • 280 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    My name is Michelle lane I am writing this letter to share my thoughts about preserving the Bridger Teton. This big stretch of land has not been affected by human technology. It has been preserved in its natural state. It is important to us as human beings. This stretch of land has a lot of trees, wild animals, and wild vegetation that call this stretch of land home. We cannot disturb it in the name of progress. We need to make sure we preserve this land so it can flourish and remain the same, untouched by technology and humans who want to mine it for resources. I agree that we need resources to sustain our lives and how we live it, but there are other ways to do so. Understandably we do not want to rely on other countries to supply us with the resources that we need but if we need to understand that we cannot deplete all the land that we have available to us. We have to think of the future and what we are going to leave for the growing generation. Eventually we will use up all the resources that we have and we would have to rely on other countries to help us. Wouldn’t it be better that while we have available resource we find a better way of getting what we need without destroying valuable land? What we need to do is find other ways to make sure we sustain our life style. For now I believe we need to rely on other countries to meet our needs and while we are doing that we need to develop other ways or find other resources. Saving the Bridger Teton will ensure that the wild life, trees and vegetation that live there will continue to flourish, they will continue to grow hopefully our children and future generations will be able to benefit and be able to appreciate the land that we try so hard to protect. Maybe in the future there will be more lands like the Bridger Teton that was protected and saved so the future generations can benefit from it.…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Conservation is an action that effectively enhances the survival of species and habitats. Zoos can participate in conservation activities of benefit to species in a number…

    • 1708 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Endangered Animals

    • 2021 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Humans are destructive. Not a lot of us think about how what we do affects the world around us. We almost act like we are the only ones on this planet. We go around polluting and destroying our world with no regard for our actions. The things that live out in the wild are paying the price for it. Every day that passes there is another animal or plant that is placed on an endangered list. This is happening at an alarming rate. Because of man’s desire to expand and conquer their surroundings, there are animals and plants that are on the brink of extinction that will not be around for our kids and future generations to enjoy if something is not done about it now. This problem has been going on for hundreds of years. There are animals and plants that can only been seen in paintings or early photography. It is because of our early ancestors that we have this problem today and we have to do more to prevent more animals and plants from disappearing forever.…

    • 2021 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    conservation is defined as " the management of human use of the biodiversity so that…

    • 2604 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Conservation is the act of using and protecting resources properly. Catching animals, throwing garbage, and using and harnessing the different resources should all adhere to the proper way of conservation.…

    • 1409 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Conservation means the saving and protection of our environment. The environment is facing numerous problems due to the caresless way people are using and abusing it. One of the main problems is pollution which means dirtying destruction of the environment. Another major environmental problem is deforestation which is excessive cutting of forests. All these have led to global warming which is a result of poor environmental conservation.…

    • 275 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays