24.4 Conservation and preservation
Many reasons for maintaining biodiversity include economics, genetics and habitats.
Conservation
Conservation - involves the management of ecosystems so that the natural resources in them can be used without running out. This is known as sustainable development.
The forest stewardship council ensures that forests are managed so that they provide a sustainable sources of timber. Their mission is to promote socially beneficial, environmentally appropriate and economically viable management of forests across the world.
Conservation approaches also include reclamation - this is the process of restoring ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed. For example, a habitat may be destroyed by floods, or as a result of a new building.
Reclamation also involves techniques like controlled burning of areas of a forest, which can halt succession and increase biodiverse.
Conservation is dynamic and needs to adapt to constant change.
Preservation
Preservation - is the protection of an area by restricting or banning human interference, so that the ecosystem is kept in its original state. It is most commonly used when preserving ecologically, archaeologically or palaeontonoligcally sensitive resources. When the lands are preserved, visitation (along with most other activities) is not allowed, except by those who manage and monitor such areas.
Newly discovered caves, called virgin caves are pristine. These may contain very sensitive geological formations or unique ecosystems - walking from one to another can cause irreparable damage. Such damage can be avoided by barring entrance to caves altogether thus preserving these unique habitats. Only through preservation can the integrity of these ecosystems be guaranteed.
Examples include areas set aside in nature reserves and marine conservation zones where human interference is profited.
Importance of conservation
Economic - to provide resources that humans need to survive and to provide an income. For example, rainforest species can provide medicinal drugs, clothes and food that can be traded. Other forests are used for the production of timber and paper.
Social - many people enjoy the natural beauty of wild ecosystems as well as using them for activities which are beneficial to health by providing a means of relaxation and exercise. Examples include bird watching, walking, cycling.
Ethical - all organisms have the right to exist, most play an important role within their ecosystem. Many people believe that we should not have the right to decide which organisms can survive. We also have a moral responsibility for the future generations to conserve the wide variety of existing natural ecosystems.
