BASICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Course code:9389

Unit-9
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

Presented by: Naqaash Mehmood

 OBJECTIVES

• Understanding the basic concepts and importance of

environmental conservation, including its historical
development and current relevance
• Recognize the primary threats to the environment, such as
habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change
• To Learn about different conservation strategies, both in-situ
and ex-situ, and their applications in real-world scenarios
• Understand sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry,
fisheries, and energy, and how they contribute to
conservation efforts
• Gain insights into international and national policies, laws,
and the role of various organizations in environmental
conservation
 WHAT IS ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION?
• With the growing environmental concerns, environmental
conservation has gained momentous significance in the past
few years.
• Environmental conservation is a specific term used for the
activities and techniques particularly designated for the
sustained environment, its resources and ecological balance.
• The scope of environmental conservation ranges from
preserving natural habitats, ecosystems, and ecological
services to the restoration of degraded environments.
 Environmental conservation
(key areas)
• Environmental conservation revolves around
the following key areas.
• Preservation
• Protection
• Conservation
• Rehabilitation
• Restoration
 Significance of Environmental
Conservation
• The environment though appears as a static entity, but it is a
widely misunderstood concept.
• The environment and the ecosystems are continuously
changing entities, these changes are nature's drivers for the
provision of a vast range of services, including clean water,
clean air fertile land, weather patterns and lots of other
resources.
• Environment and particularly ecosystems provide a wide
range of services to mankind.
 Historical Outlook

• The history of environmental conservation has continuously

evolved over the period.
• The pre-historic environmental conservation was driven by
human needs; therefore, the initial conservation efforts were
to preserve the forest for wood or to protect the wildlife from
hunting.
• The era of modern conservation started in the 19th century,
some noteworthy names of that time were John Muir and
Gifford Pinchot who widely advocated the protection of the
landscapes and drove the cause of sustainable resource
consumption.
Figure : Interconnected and holistic concept for
environmental conservation
 FUNDAMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

• There is a continuous threat to the environment. Environment

and environmental systems are under continuous pressure
therefore the stability of the environment is at risk.
• The environment faces dire challenges posed by humans, and
to mitigate these problems knowledge of environmental
problems is mandatory.
 Habitat Destruction

• Every living being requires a proper habitat for its

developmental needs. So one of the most challenging issues is
habitat destruction.
• Human activities like deforestation, urbanization and
continuous land acquisition for agricultural and construction
activities continuously decrease the habitat of wild animals.
• When the animals lose their space they not only lose living
space but also their feeding and breeding space such species
are pushed towards the verge of extinction.
 Environmental Pollution

• Environmental pollution is broadly classified as air, water and

soil pollution.
• These sources of pollution are serious threats to the
environment and environmental systems.
• The sources of this pollution include different point and non-
point sources.
• For instance, air pollution is caused by vehicular exhaust,
agricultural practices, biomass burning and climate change.
 Climate Change

• Climate change has the potential to affect the environment

directly and indirectly.
• Climate change is a feedback mechanism, where the root of
the problem is supplemented by the effects and thus creates
a continuous loop that produces more causes of climate
change.
• With the advent of the 21st century climate change has been
identified as a major challenge that drives species loss due to
human activities.
• This put 25% of the world’s species on the verge of
extinction.
 Resource Overexploitation

• Natural resources are developed over a long period, some of

these resources are developed over thousands of years.
• Trees, fossil fuels and other biological resources can take
centuries-long duration.
• When a resource is consumed at a pace faster than it is
replenished, the resource is termed a non-renewable
resource.
• Unsustainable resource extraction also termed as resource
exploitation like overfishing, deforestation, over-harvesting
extraction of minerals, and extraction of fossil fuels
continuously being used much faster rate than their
background production rate.
 Ecological Invaders

• Some species of plants or animals when deliberately or

accidentally introduced into any ecosystem, can outcompete
the natural flora and fauna of the system.
• This introduction can be on purpose or sometimes can be
accidental.
• By altering the habitat, the species can find a more conducive
environment, since their natural competitors are missing in
that habitat they are in a better position to fight with the
naturally present species.
 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
• Natural resource management is defined as the sustainable
use and conservation of natural resources like water, minerals,
forests, and marine habitats.
• It seeks to create a balance between human requirements
and ecosystem health in order to preserve the long-term
availability and quality of resources.
• Natural resource management is essential because it helps
preserve biodiversity, provides ecosystem services, and
ensures the long-term development of communities that rely
on these resources.
 Principles of Sustainable Resource
Management

• Sustainable management of natural resources is associated

with several key principles:
• Ecological Balance: Maintaining ecological balance by limiting
the consumption of resources to the natural renewal rate.
• Economic Viability: Economic viability refers to managing
resources in a way that promotes economic growth while
preserving future resources.
• Social Equity: Providing equitable access to resources for all
segments of society to meet the requirements of current and
future generations.
• Adaptive Management: Employing dynamic strategies to
adapt the changing scenarios and emerging information.
 Specific Resource Management

• Some natural resources are more important

than others because of their impact on the
environment and climate.
• These include water resources, minerals,
forests, and marine and coastal environments.
 Water Resources

• Effective water resource management entails the sustainable

distribution and use of freshwater for household, industrial,
and agricultural applications.
• Modern approaches such as rainfall collecting, watershed
management and the installation of efficient irrigation
systems can contribute to improving water availability.
• Moreover, the protection of water quality by using pollution
control technologies and sustainable sanitation systems is also
very essential.
 Mineral Resources

• In the case of mineral resources, sustainable

management involves controlling environmental impacts
while acquiring minerals from nature for economic
development and requirements of any country.
• This includes the use of rehabilitating mine sites, cleaner
mining technology and implementation of legislation to
prevent illegal mining.
• Furthermore, it is also important to consider that mining
operations not only support the country's requirements
but also significantly support the development of local
communities.
 Forest Resources

• To achieve a balance between the conservation of forest

ecosystems and the need for forest products, sustainable
forest management approaches play a crucial role.
• Modern approaches such as replanting, selective logging and
community-based forest management can help to preserve
biodiversity and forest health.
• The forests are operated as substantial carbon sinks therefore,
forest protection is also essential to mitigate climate change
impacts.
 Marine and Coastal Resources

• The objective of sustainable marine resource management is

to maintain marine biodiversity and support the livelihoods of
coastal communities.
• This involves the establishment of marine protected zones,
reducing pollution from land-based sources and regulating
fishing techniques to minimize the impacts of overfishing.
• The activities such as fishing, tourism and industrial
development can be carried out sustainably through
integrated coastal zone management.
 Marine and Coastal Resources

• In the case of Pakistan, the protection of marine biodiversity is

crucial for the sustainable management of marine and coastal
resources.
• For instance:
(1) establishing marine protected areas like the Astola Island
Marine Protected Area.
(2) regulating fishing techniques to prevent overfishing .
(3) reducing land- based pollutants like industrial runoff and
plastic garbage.
 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• Natural Resource Management refers to the sustainable

utilization and conservation of natural resources such as
water, forests, minerals, and marine ecosystems.
• It aims to balance human needs with the health of
ecosystems to ensure the long-term availability and
quality of these resources.
• NRM is critical because it helps maintain biodiversity,
supports ecosystem services, and ensures the sustainable
development of communities dependent on these
resources.
 Principles of Sustainable Resource Management

• Sustainable resource management is grounded in several key

principles:
• Ecological Balance: Ensuring that resource use does not exceed the
natural replenishment rate to maintain ecological integrity.
• Social Equity: Ensuring fair access to resources for all segments of
society, addressing the needs of current and future generations.
• Economic Viability: Managing resources in a way that supports
economic growth and development without depleting future
resources.
• Integrated Management: Considering the interconnectedness of
different resources and ecosystems and managing them holistically.
• Adaptive Management: Implementing flexible strategies that can
adjust to changing conditions and new information.
 Targeted Resource Management
• Water Resources
• Effective water resource management involves the
sustainable distribution and use of freshwater for
agricultural, industrial, and domestic purposes.
• Techniques such as watershed management, rainwater
harvesting, and the implementation of efficient irrigation
systems help maintain water availability.
• Protecting water quality through pollution control
measures and sustainable sanitation practices is also
essential.
 Mineral Resources

• The sustainable management of mineral resources

involves minimizing environmental impacts while
extracting minerals necessary for economic
development.
• This includes adopting cleaner mining technologies,
rehabilitating mining sites, and implementing regulations
to prevent illegal mining activities.
• Ensuring that mining operations contribute to local
communities' development is also important.
 Forest Resources

• Sustainable forest management aims to balance the need for

forest products with the preservation of forest ecosystems.
• Practices such as selective logging, reforestation, and
community-based forest management contribute to
maintaining forest health and biodiversity.
• Forest conservation is also crucial for mitigating climate
change, as forests act as significant carbon sinks.
 Marine and Coastal Resources

• Sustainable management of marine and coastal

resources focuses on protecting marine biodiversity and
supporting the livelihoods of coastal communities.
• This includes establishing marine protected areas,
regulating fishing practices to prevent overfishing, and
controlling pollution from land-based sources.
• Integrated coastal zone management ensures that
activities such as tourism, fisheries, and industrial
development are conducted sustainably.
 CONSERVATION STRATEGIES FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
• The loss and damage that we have put forth to the
environment require rehabilitation and mitigation strategies.
• The conservation strategies are the protection strategies that
can help in the mitigation of environmental degradation and
help preserve the biological diversity of the area.
• These strategies are divided into two types of approaches.
• In-situ Conservation
• Ex-situ Conservation
 In-situ Conservation Practices
• The conservation efforts that are put forth at the specific
location without much disturbance to the species or their
habitats are termed in-situ conservation places.
• The in-situ means “at the original place”, so the approach
follows the practices and strategies that can be used in place
to protect a natural resource.
 Examples
• A few examples of in-situ conservation are provided below:
• Protected Areas (National Parks, Wildlife Reserves)
• Protected areas consist of national parks and wildlife reserves.
• These areas are significant for the protection of natural
habitats for the wild flora and fauna.
• There are no construction or technical testing is allowed in
national parks and wildlife reserves.
 Community-based Conservation

• Another type of in-situ conservation is community-based

conservation.
• This method involves incorporating the local communities to
achieve conservation goals like sustainable resource
management and biodiversity conservation.
• Along with the awareness strategies about the significance of
the protection these efforts empower the local communities
considering them integral stakeholders who are involved in
the decision-making process for the conservation efforts.
 BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION STRATEGIES

• The prime purpose of this protection strategy is to protect

biological diversity. The conservation efforts mainly target the
conservation species or species diversity.
Species Conservation
• Endangered and Threatened and High-risk Species
• The species whose population is declining at an alarming
pace and can soon become endangered are termed
threatened species.
• Where the species with a low population and is soon to be
extinct is termed an endangered species.
 Captive Breeding Programs

• Captive breeding programs are ex-situ conservation strategies

that include zoos, aquariums, and specialized breeding
centres.
• These are used for endangered and high-risk species. The
species under the threat of imminent extinction is protected
and provided with ideal conditions to grow, develop and
breed.
• Thus, when a considerable number is achieved the species
can be released into the wild.
 Habitat Conservation

• The habitat conservation strategy is key to the rehabilitation

of any speciesit encompasses the restoration of ecology and
wildlife corridors.
• Wildlife Corridors: are the pathways that connect the
fragmented habitat, these habitat connections help the
wildlife to migrate, and disperse across the corridors.
• Such strategies help the species to adapt to the changing
climate.
 SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

• The conservation and preservation practices alone don’t serve

the purpose of long- term environmental stability goals.
• Therefore, to ensure the long-term goals sustainable
practices are pivotal for balancing human development and
ecosystems. These practices involve a broad scope ranging
from sustainable practices in food production (i:e agriculture
and aquaculture), to sustainable harvesting of resources from
forests and other natural resources like water, soil and
grasslands.
• Sustainable practices ensure the judicial use of resources
without compromising future needs and developments.
Sustainable practices though are required in every field of life
here we will discuss a few of them.
 Sustainable and Smart Agriculture

• This practice involves the standard land harvesting protocols

with the viable use of chemicals.
• The practice emphasized crop rotation, organic farming, and
integrated pest control. Thus, it promotes avoiding the use of
pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
• The realization of the damaging consequences of the use of
chemicals in agriculture has been recognized by the global
efforts to shift towards organic agriculture.
 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES AND LEGISLATION

• The conservation efforts require legal backup to support in different fields.

Some of the noteworthy efforts are detailed below:
• National Policies and Laws: National policies and laws are structured
frameworks to address the particular environmental needs of any nation.
• In Pakistan, the key policies related to the environment include the
Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (1997), which offers a base for
environmental regulation and the constitution of the Pakistan
Environmental Protection Agency, the Second significant one is the
National Climate Change Policy (2012) that outlines the approaches for
moderating and adapting to climate change impacts.
 International Agreements:
• Various international agreements are also in line to
strengthen conservation efforts.
• International agreements like the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) established in 1992 played a pivotal role in the
promotion of sustainable development through ecological and
biological conservation.
• The CBD also provides guidelines to structure the national
policy guidelines.
 Role of Government and Non-
Governmental Organizations (NGO):
• The synergy of the government and NGOs plays a significant
role in achieving the objective of sustainable resource
consumption.
• In Pakistan, the government implements policies and
regulations, where NGOs, like the Worldwide Fund for Nature
(WWF) Pakistan and the Indus Earth Trust, are involved in
common maintenance projects, educate the masses, and
promote policy expansions.