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The Importance of Eco-system Management and Protection - Coggle Diagram
The Importance of Eco-system Management and Protection
Heritage value
'Natural features consisting of physical and biological formations which are outstanding of universal value from an aesthetic or scientific point of view.'
Preserving important elements of natural heritage for future generations.
Utility value
All the living and non-living components of earths ecosphere have either an existing or potential utility value.
By maintaining and protecting ecosystems we maximise humanity's ability to adapt to change and minimise such change
The sheer diversity of life represents a vast store of opportunity for life, food, medicine and chemicals.
Many things are derived from the micro-organisms
The loss of only a small area may cause the loss of many potential medicines
The utility value of ecosystems can be summarised into three main areas:
Products that ecosystems provide
Services that ecosystems provide
Other benefits
The maintenance of genetic diversity
The vast number of species that inhabit the earth represent a massive genetic 'database' of successful survival strategies developed over several billion years.
Each species has its own gene pool from which an almost infinite number of combinations of individuals characteristics can be selected.
The diversity allows a species to adapt to changes in its environment. The more successful a species is at regeneration the less vulnerable it will be to change.
Everytime a species is lost, its genetic value is lost.
Some reasons why biological diversity should be maintained:
Biodiversity is untapped resource
A variety of genetic material is an insurance policy against disaster
We do not fully understand the functions and roles of each species and theur interconnection
There is an economic potential yet to be realised
It maintains our natural life-support system
We need the variety of living resources for ecologically sustainable development
Intrinsic value
All ecosystems have the right to exist irrespective of their utility value.
There are three interconnected types of intrinsic value:
Existence
Every species has a right to exist and should not have a price tag on it to justify its existence
Every ecosytem has a right to exist in its own right and humans have a duty to maintain ecosystems instead of destroying them. Ecosystems need to be preserved for future generations, regardless of the present of possible future uses they may have.
Spiritual and philosophical
The links between indigenous people and environment is particularly strong. Traditional Aboriginal people have an econometric world view.
Each individual has an obligation to protect and preserve the spirit of the land and the living things on it. Intrinsic and amenity values are very difficult to attach monetary values to and as result are often ignored.
Aesthetic
The beautiful variety in natural landscapes, plant and animal species and the combined affect of all these has a value more in the realms of imagination and inspiration than economic reality.
The need to allow natural change to proceed
The diversity of life forms on earth is a product of the ongoing evolutionary process. Humans have an ethical responsibility to allow this process to continue relatively unimpeded. To ensure that this occurs it will be necessary to protect large areas of representative ecosystems.
To achieve the desired objectives these areas should:
Be large enough to protect and conserve intact ecosystems effectively to allow evolutionary processes to continue
Have boundaries that reflect environmental rather than political needs.
Take into account the interests of local people. WHen the people who once depended on the resources of an area are excluded they may resort to destructive activities. such as poaching, because have no other way of providing for their families.
Be well-managed and effectively resourced
Be surrounded by a 'buffer zone' where human activity is carefully managed. Changes in areas around protected zones may interrupt breeding and migration patterns and affect water and air quality.