ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION | ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY Optional for UPSC

Introduction

• Environmental conservation and preservation are two terms that are often used interchangeably, although they are quite different. 
• Conservation refers to the responsible management of the environment and its resources for present and future use. 
• Preservation, on the other hand, is a much stricter approach where the environment, lands and natural resources are put away, not to be consumed by humans, but are instead maintained in their pristine form.
• Environmental conservation is a practice that paves the way for protecting the environment and natural resources on the individual, organizational as well as governmental levels.

Evolution of concept

• The conservation movement can be traced back to John Evelyn's work Sylva, presented as a paper to the Royal Society in 1662. 
• In this Evelyn advocated the importance of conserving the forests by managing the rate of depletion and ensuring that the cut down trees get replenished.
• The field developed during the 18th century, especially in Prussia and France where scientific forestry methods were developed.
• Conservation was revived in the mid-19th century, with the first practical application of scientific conservation principles to the forests of India. 
• Since the 1960s, environmental movements have created more awareness of the multiple environmental problems.

Thinkers’ Perspective

Alexander von Humboldt:

• Emphasized interconnectedness of nature and environment.
• Advocated for conservation of natural resources and biodiversity.

Carl O. Sauer:

• Focused on human-environment interactions.
• Promoted sustainable land use and preservation of cultural landscapes.

Rachel Carson:

• Raised awareness about pesticide impact through "Silent Spring."
• Pioneered modern environmental movement and inspired environmental organizations.

Wangari Maathai:

• Founded Green Belt Movement for reforestation and women's empowerment.
• Received Nobel Peace Prize for sustainable development and democracy.

Vandana Shiva:

• Promoted biodiversity conservation and sustainable agriculture.
• Criticized industrial agriculture and corporate control of resources.

Importance of environmental conservation

• To reduce air, water and land pollution.
• To facilitate the conservation of natural resources for our future generations.
• To ensure the protection of biodiversity.
• To implement sustainable development.
• To restore the ecological balance.
• To save our planet from harmful repercussions of global warming.

Environment Conservation Method

Forest conservation

• Forests are one of the significant (about one-third) drinking water suppliers for the world’s most famous cities. 
• It is the house to 80% of amphibians, 75% of birds, and 68% of mammal species.
• Increased street trees could benefit 68 million people by diminishing the air temperature to 0.5 to 2.0 degrees Celsius in summer.
• Thus forest conservation play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance.
• Afforestation and reforestation help in conserving the forests, which are responsible for trapping absorbing a huge amount of carbon dioxide from reaching the atmosphere.

Soil conservation

• Soil conservation helps control erosions and improves the soil for agricultural purposes.
• Soil conservation can be carried out by ensuring minimal use of fertilizers and venomous chemicals as well as abolishing the disposal of harmful industrial waste in the soil.
• It helps tackle the harmful effects of soil pollution, land degradation and floods.

Stopping the habitat fragmentation

Five actions need to be taken in response to habitat fragmentation: 

• Protect existing high-quality wildlife greenspace.
• Manage and improve degraded greenspace.
• Restore sites of particular value that have been destroyed (such as wetlands).
• Improve the permeability of land use between sites.
• Create new greenspace.

Checking desertification

• In order to prevent and reverse desertification, major policy interventions and changes in management approaches are needed.
• Preventive actions include:
  
  • Integrating land and water management to protect soils from degradation.
  • Protecting the vegetative cover.
  • Integrating the use of land for grazing and farming.
  • Giving local communities the capacity to prevent desertification and to manage dryland resources effectively.
• Examples of actions to restore and rehabilitate ecosystems include:
  
  • establishing seed banks,
  • reintroducing selected species,
  • countering erosion through terracing and other measures,
  • enriching the soil with nutrients, and
  • planting trees

Checking floods and drought

• Droughts and floods are a common feature and their co-existence poses a potent threat, which cannot be eradicated but has to be managed.
• Climate monitoring can help check floods and droughts.
• Forests can soak up excess rainwater, preventing run-offs and damage from flooding. 
• By releasing water in the dry season, forests can also help provide clean water and mitigate the effects of droughts.

Controlling the pollution including nuclear waste

• The improper disposal of waste can lead to various dreadful diseases as well as soil pollution.
• Thus proper waste disposal and waste management is necessary.
• Adopting environmentally sustainable methods to minimise multiple forms of emissions, such as eliminating waste, saving electricity, limiting the unnecessary usage of fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides, and using energy-efficient appliances are some of the ways to control pollution.