Preservation and Sustainability
This lesson covers:
- Why ecosystems need conservation and preservation
- How woodland can be managed sustainably
- How fish stocks can be managed sustainably
What is conservation?
Conservation involves the protection and management of ecosystems to ensure natural resources are used sustainably, maintaining biodiversity through human action. It is a dynamic process, adapting as ecosystems evolve.
Conservation ensures that:
- Resources remain available for future generations.
- Habitats and species are preserved.
Conservation requires:
- Management - Humans control the use of resources and their replenishment.
- Reclamation - Humans restore damaged ecosystems for future use.
Why ecosystems need conservation
There are several reasons conservation is vital.
Some of these reasons include:
- Economic - Ecosystems provide resources for both local and global trade, providing future supplies and economic stability.
- Social - Ecosystems offer recreational and aesthetic value, enhancing our quality of life and well-being.
- Ethical - All organisms have a right to exist, and we have a moral responsibility to prevent extinctions caused by humans.
Differences between conservation, preservation, and reclamation
Preservation aims to maintain ecosystems in their natural, undisturbed state, by restricting or banning resource extraction and human interference. This differs from conservation, as it does not involve active human management.
Examples of preserved habitats include nature reserves and marine conservation zones, where human activities are strictly prohibited.
Reclamation is a conservation approach whereby ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed are restored.
Sustainability and sustainable development
Sustainable development is the management of ecosystems in a way that allows for the economic exploitation of natural resources without them running out.
The aims of sustainability:
- Preserve the environment.
- Make resources available for future generations.
- Allow all humans to live comfortably.
- Support development in less economically developed countries.
- Achieve a more balanced consumption of resources globally, regardless of a country's economic status.
Sustainable management of woodland
Woodland ecosystems can be managed to provide sustainable timber yields. This approach ensures that trees are replanted after cutting, preventing the depletion of woodland resources.
Advantages of sustainable forest management:
- It improves conservation, soil, and water management.
- It increases the retail price of forestry products, generating employment and income.
- It provides sustainable wood fuel sources.
- It secures biodiversity.
Sustainable forestry for small-scale timber production includes:
- Coppicing - Cutting trees close to the ground and harvesting the regrowth from stumps when they are mature.
- Rotational coppicing - Coppicing different areas sequentially, allowing time for recovery before revisiting an area.
- Pollarding - Cutting the trunk higher up compared to coppicing to protect new shoots from being eaten by animals.
Sustainable forestry for large-scale timber production includes:
- Selective cutting - Removing only the largest trees to allow growth of younger trees.
- Clearing small patches within the woodland - This promotes quicker regrowth.
- Avoiding large exposed clearings - This prevents soil erosion.
- Leaving some areas - This supports the livelihoods of Indigenous communities.
- Spacing out plantings - Reduces competition, leading to better yields.
- Prioritising the replanting of native tree species - Helps maintain biodiversity and water and nutrient cycles.
- Providing support and protection for saplings - Improves their chances of survival.
- Managing pests and pathogens - Essential for maximising yields.
Sustainable fishing practices
Overfishing is when fishing activities decrease fish populations significantly, to the point where they are unable to regenerate. This can also disrupt other organisms in food chains in the ecosystem.
Sustainable fishing aims to maintain healthy breeding populations to ensure the long-term viability of fish stocks.
Sustainable fishing techniques include:
- Fishing quotas - Set limits based on scientific assessments to regulate the numbers of certain species caught in specific areas.
- Fish farming - Provides a sustainable source of protein while conserving wild fish populations.
- Mesh size regulations - Ensure nets have a minimum mesh size to catch only targeted fish species while allowing smaller and non-target species to escape.
- Seasonal fishing restrictions - Protect fish during their breeding season, allowing populations to recover before fishing resumes.