Protecting the Environment

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

Protecting the Environment — page 7 — PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT Natural resources are sometimes classi fied as renewable or nonrenewable Forests grasslands wildlife and soil are examples of renewable resources They can be regener ated through natural processes and prudent management can maintain them at steady levels The consumption of the limited sup plies of nonrenewable fossil fuels such as coal petroleum and natural gas whether wasteful or not speeds their depletion Conservation includes measures toward reduced usage of fossil fuels Likewise certain nonrenew able critical ores and metals such as iron aluminum bauxite and copper have finite supplies and controlled accessibility that Sometimes call for conservation measures such as recycling programs to assure contin ued production Another goal of conservation is to pre serve the natural beauty of a community When land is mistreated the countryside can become aesthetically unpleasant Vacant lots covered with trash bare roadsides garbage laden streams and the unregulated sprawl of strip malls are considered ugly by most people Conservation also helps to preserve areas suitable for recreation As cities grow crowded natural areas become more scarce In order for people to enjoy their leisure 12

Protecting the Environment — page 8 — GoALS OF CONSERVATION Ducks swim amid garbage in a polluted waterway Refuse clogged riv ers and canals are more than just unsightly They also pose a threat to wildlife Shutterstock com time they need or can benefit greatly from city parks wildlife preserves and national parks grass and trees bordering roads and highways and clear rivers and streams Natural resources are a vital part of sus taining human life Conservation measures are designed to control manage and preserve them so that they can be used and appreci ated to the fullest A proper conservation 13

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