Conservation is the care and protection of Earth’s natural resources, such as air, water and plants. It involves preserving biodiversity, managing ecosystems and promoting normal interactions between organisms. It also ensures that natural areas remain untouched, or at least as close to untouched as possible.
The most common area of conservation is wildlife conservation, which protects animals and their habitats. This is vital because each species plays a part in keeping ecosystems balanced, and if certain species go extinct, food chains break down and nature becomes less able to support life.
Another major area of conservation is land conservation, which protects forests and other natural areas. It helps prevent erosion and keeps water sources clean. It is also important because natural ecosystems provide vital natural resources for humans, such as timber and fish. Many people around the world rely on natural resources to live, so conservation is also a way to protect human lives.
Restoration is an emerging field of conservation that focuses on returning something to its former state. This is usually done with cultural artefacts, such as tapestries or monuments, but it can also be applied to the natural landscape. For example, if a woodland has been cleared for farming or development, it may be restored to a forest.
Other areas of conservation include genetic preservation, which is the study of genes within a species; and cultural conservation, which aims to protect places that are important to a culture. This includes protecting sites of archaeological interest and ensuring that the traditions and practices of indigenous communities are preserved.
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