Protecting the Environment

Protecting the Environment — page 3 — PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT the conservation of these resources detailing protection efforts past and present as well as the consequences of not safeguarding these particular sectors of the environment After oxygen water is the single most vital element for the survival of every living thing on Earth A renewable resource water is plenti ful in many parts of the world However some areas are naturally arid while others experi ence droughts Also pollution can ruin bodies of water Conservation methods such as pro tecting natural water sources from pollution and planting greenery to help the ground soak up rain are the best ways to make sure every one has access to clean water for drinking cleaning and growing food crops Forests provide wood for heating and building plus they are home to a number of unique plants and animals Trees of the forest are a renewable resource but it takes time for them to grow to the point where they are useful Reducing the number of trees that are cut down and slowing down the rate at which necessary logging occurs are among the conservation efforts used to save forests In slang terms soil is not considered very valuable being treated like dirt would make someone feel worthless Yet in truth soil is one of Earth s most precious natural

Protecting the Environment — page 4 — INTRODUCTION resources It provides food and shelter to a number of creatures that live in it and on it Plants and crops couldn t grow without the nutrients found in the top layer of soil Protecting soil mainly involves keeping the life giving top layer from being washed away in the rain or blowing away in the wind Deep within the soil are vital minerals and fossil fuels including coal oil and natural gas Humans are dependent on these nonrenew able resources for nutrition and construction minerals as well as heating and transporta tion fossil fuels But the limited supply of these resources make conservation an abso lute must Wildlife conservation protects animals from becoming endangered or extinct This is important because each living thing on Earth plays a role in keeping the planet alive and well Simply by living as they are designed to live wild animals provide what scientists call ecological services These include cleaning the air and water enriching the soil polli nating crops reducing harmful species and helping to keep the climate stable Conservation is definitely a balancing act But in order to protect the environment and the future of the entire planet it is a totally worthwhile effort 9

Protecting the Environment — page 5 — CHAPTER 1 GOALS OF CoNSERVATION onservation is the responsible stew ardship or management of the environment which tries to find a balance between preserving nature and the human need for products and recreation that nature provides People vary in their opinions A great egret wades amid cypress trees in Florida s Everglades National Park which preserves the largest subtropical wilderness left in the United States Roughly halfof the original natural Everglades area has been destroyed mainly for land development National Park Service IO

Protecting the Environment — page 6 — GoALS OF CONSERVATION on the levels of importance of the various components and on how much emphasis should be placed on each Thus some people view the primary function of conservation as a mechanism to preserve natural habitats and wildlife whereas others view conservation as the means to assure the persistence of eco nomically important natural resources that are of direct benefit to humans However most agree that a major goal of conservation today is reasonable use of Earth's natu ral resources in the broadest sense which includes water soil wildlife forests miner als and fossil fuels Freshwater habitats must be kept clean for drinking and recreational activities Soils must be kept fertile without the accumula tion of toxic chemicals from pesticides or herbicides to provide fruits and vegetables and to prevent poisoning of wildlife Forests must be managed to provide not only lum ber and pulpwood for paper products but also homes and food for native wildlife The use of oil coal and minerals important for an industrial society must be carefully moni tored to be certain that the supply does not dwindle too rapidly and that natural habitats are not degraded in the process of producing and using them II

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