Conservation Techniques

As the human population increases, the demands we make on the Earth’s natural resources also increase. This leads to shortages of basic necessities like water because of overuse and misuse. It also gives rise to more and more conflicts over the allocation and use of natural resources in today's world.

The biggest challenge is not just to protect the environment for the future, but to understand the complex relationships that exist in it and enable people today to make better use of natural resources.

What is ecology?
Protecting our environment is a key aspect to human beings' long-term survival and the survival of this planet. Not only is conservation necessary for biological and economic reasons, it is also important for recreational reasons and for the good of local communities. It is this relationship between the natural and physical environment, and the people who live in it that makes up the study of ecology.

Finding the right balance is not easy. We need to prevent the contamination of resources such as air and water, prevent the erosion of soil, limit the use of toxic materials, reduce the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, prevent damage to habitats, and much, much more. In today’s industrialised society, with our modern demands for comfort and convenience, this is no mean feat!

It’s up to us
As an intelligent species that dominates Earth, we owe it to ourselves and our planet to ensure our survival, to guard against damaging the air around us, the water that is so essential to our survival, the land that gives us crops, and the trees that clean the air so that we can breathe.

Conservation happens at many levels. One is to protect valuable resources from destruction or overuse. Another is to promote the reuse and recycling of resources and products to effectively cut the demand on natural resources and also to reduce waste. Another important aspect of environmental conservation is cutting down on fossil-based fuels that add to global warming, and turning to eco-friendly 'green' fuel options.

Conservation concerns

There are 3 major areas which affect all conservation work.

Biodiversity and forest conservation
Protecting biological diversity ensures that the number and variety of organisms in a certain area (the ecosystem) are kept intact, and the balance in their relationship is maintained. This is why saving forests is so important in conservation. Not only do forests provide economic, biological and recreational benefits, they provide the setting for tremendous biodiversity.

Forests are home to many types of wildlife as well as plant life. They give us timber and food products; prevent soil erosion and flooding; produce oxygen and combat the increasing presence of carbon dioxide, the most dangerous of the greenhouse gases, in the atmosphere, and thus help provide clean air and water.

However, today, the forest cover is rapidly diminishing. As trees are cut down, sometimes illegally, forests disappear and so do the habitats of all the creatures and plants that live there – so an entire ecosystem is put at risk.

It is no wonder that conservation agencies consider forests a major challenge in their work.

Clean water
Providing clean water is another key area of intervention for conservation activists and organisations. Clean freshwater is needed for drinking, cooking, bathing, irrigation and industry as far as humans are concerned. It is also essential for plants and animals. Clean global freshwater supply falls short of demand and today drought is common over much of the world. Most sources are under severe stress because of pollution and overuse.

Energy conservation
Global energy production is currently too reliant on non-renewable fossil fuels. Burning fuels like coal to create electricity release alarming amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere leading to global warming and climate change. There is an immediate need for us to move to alternative, renewable, 'green' sources of energy, such as solar energy, wind energy, hydro energy and geothermal energy.

How does WWF work?

WWF works actively in a number of countries to conserve biodiversity, prevent pollution and save the environment from disaster. It has identified 7 key areas of intervention:

1. Climate Change: Climate change and global warming are matters of life and death. Increasing levels of air pollution threaten the survival of nature and the well-being of people around the world.
2. Forests: With over 150 forest officers worldwide and more than 300 on-the-ground projects backed up by scientific analysis, and by advocacy work at the policy level, WWF spends in excess of US$ 40 million every year seeking solutions to the problems and threats facing the world's forests.
3. Freshwater: By the year 2025, two-thirds of the world's population could experience water shortages.
4. Marine: Overfishing, inadequate management and habitat loss have pushed fish stocks to their lowest levels in history.
5. Sustainability: Influencing policy and informing debate is a key element of WWF's work
6. Species: Thousands of species of plants and animals are under increasing threat. Every day, added pressures such as loss of habitat, illegal trade, over-hunting, pollution, and the effects of climate change and economic development take their toll on the world's wildlife.
7. Toxics: Pollution from toxic chemicals threatens life on this planet. Every ocean and every continent, from the tropics to the once-pristine polar regions, is contaminated.