Due to human impact on the planet, environmental conservation has become a necessary step in order to help maintain the planets diverse and beautiful ecological worth. There have been many different kinds of efforts from various groups of people in an attempt to make a worldwide impact on the environment. Their approaches are as diverse as the environments they are fighting to protect.
One of the planets’ most underrated environments are those found in the ocean. In a habitat as vast as the planets’ oceans, one may find it hard to think that their resources may be growing limited but that has, in fact, been a increasing scenario. The ocean has been exploited to such an extent that species and habitats have begun to dwindle at an alarming rate. It is for this reason that many new precautions have been taken in order to protect the planets oceans. For instance, in the past couple of years there have been many new developments in the fishing industry that would help with the problem of overfishing worldwide. For some species such as tuna these new laws enforcing fishing quotas are very important. They limit the pounds of fish each country or fisherman can pull out of the water each year, and any excess fishing could be considered poaching resulting in heavy fines and even in some cases the loss of the captains fishing rights.
Other forms of marine conservation would be things such as underwater national reserves. These are particular areas, usually in places such as coral reefs, where fishing is strictly regulated and at times may be banned all together. Depending on the government in charge, the regulations may involve things such as limitations on the number of fish they can pull out, the gear allowed to be used, the species which they are allowed to fish for, and during what months of the year fishing is allowed. Fishing with nets is almost always illegal as is now the use of long lines. Long lines are fishing lines several miles long drag behind the ships with baited fish hooks every couple of yards. The use of these lines has been greatly responsible for the decline of shark species worldwide.
Conservation on land tends to have a similar approach with considerably better results since animals tend not to migrate between different nations boundary lines. For instance whales are protected off American shores but when they migrate to international waters Japanese ships may take part in illegal whaling. However, the wolves that reside in Yellowstone national park are mostly trapped within the parks boundaries and so they can’t be hunted down which may be the reason for the successful comeback in that region. Many different species of animals have made a successful comeback due to the help of national parks.
National parks are reserved land owned by the government restricting development and other unauthorized human involvement. These areas usually are used for human recreation, animal, and environmental protection. Yellowstone National Park is a perfect success story of how a national park can be very beneficial in helping keep an endangered ecosystem intact and help vanishing species to flourish back to a healthy population. Thanks to the reintroduction of animals in these places, species like the American wolf and Bison have come back from the brink of extinction.
Conservation is a job for everyone and one that should be taken seriously. Groups like the Wildlife conservation Society and World Wildlife Fund are groups who have spearheaded the conservation movement. With work in over a hundred different countries they’ve helped build funds, protect natural areas, but most importantly to bring awareness to the public both local and global. With the help of organizations like these and strict laws such as the endangered species list, which makes it illegal to hunt any animal on the list world wide, it is well within our reach to make a difference.
