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Preservation vs Conservation

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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.

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