What do you believe the difference is between PRESERVATION and CONSERVATION?

Question

...can they both be means to the same end?

Answer 1

Preservationists believe in preserving the land in it's most natural state. One of the first preservationists was John Muir, who was a major player in the creation of Yosemite National Park and the founder of the Sierra Club. Muir referred to sheep as "hoofed locusts" and criticized President Roosevelt for hunting when they went on a camping trip together in Yosemite.

Conservationists are more interested in preserving the land while making use of it. Conservationists would support controlled hunting, regulations for soil sustainability in farming, etc.

One is not necessarily more right  or more important than the other in my opinion. I think we need a good balance of both views. After all, without preservationists we wouldn't have wonders like Yosemite and Yellowstone to enjoy in their natural state, and without conservationists, farming would be less efficient, wild animal populations would explode and become a menace and a lot of land would become unusable.

Answer 2

The difference is between PRESERVATION and CONSERVATION is the same as the difference between  PRESERVATIVE and CONSERVATIVE...

Answer 3

I see them as one and the same, there is at this point no conservation without preservation.  We cannot have and enjoy any of the resources we do nothing to preserve. I'm conservative, radically so, in a manner which riles many Conservatives.  When I speak of preservation I do not mean restoration, an often futile exercise, but of considering certain things best kept in as pristine a manner as possible to the end that they will continue to be useful for future generations as well as those who exploit them today.  I do this without reservation.

Answer 4

Grandma is well preserved.  She conserves her energy.

Answer 5

Preservation is repairing something to its original grandeur (like a historic building that is on the verge of decrepidation). Conservation is taking something grand and taking the steps necessary to prevent it from becoming decrepit.

So one is a fixer, and the other is prevention. They need to be used together. Conservation will make future preservation much easier, and possibly unnecessary.

Answer 6

I guess you already know the technical definition of the words, but anyway, preservation is not 'restoration', like the first answer seems to imply. On the contrary, preserving means maintaining unaltered conditions and preventing human interference.

In contrast, conservation is precisely about integrating natural ecosystem functions with human existence and needs.

IMO, the major difference is that preservation does not take people into account. And this is a huge omission.

I find that those who speak more easily about "preserving" a given ecosystem are those who live further away from it. Let's suppose we determine there's a biodiversity hotspot that needs to be protected. In the real world, there will probably be local human populations who have lived in relative harmony within their ecosystem for a long time in this area we want to protect. Even if these people are causing ecological disturbances, the 'pure' ecosystem should not be valued above these people who will need to relocate, find other sources of food and income, and/or find that their traditional activities are now illegal.

With the intervention of experts in Conservation science (not 'conservationists'), the sociocultural, economical and political aspects will be considered as well as the biological-ecological issues. The locals could be shown how to make their activities sustainable, so that they value their resources and thus become active "guardians" of their place in the world. Conservation aims at integrating the biosphere with the anthroposphere in a sustainable manner.

Are they both means to the same end? I don't think so; in my opinion,  'preservation' is unrealistic at this point in our history. We humans need to learn (or maybe remember) how to keep the balance, and it can't be done by preserving some areas/resources and overexploiting others.

Answer 7

In terms of environment, preservationists in my opinion are too extreme in trying to keep things just they way that they have experienced them.  They may restrict an area and not allow any human changes to take place and keep the land in a state of constant.  The problem with this is that nature changes all the time on its own.  It isn't natural to prevent those changes from taking place.  Conservationists allow for these changes while protecting the integrity of the natural area.  Some environmental areas have been harmed by preservationist policy because they would not allow for clear cutting or even forest fire fighting.  Conservationist policy allows for these actions to keep things in a better balance.

Answer 8

weill i reckon infin youd to git those two wurds and put um togerthjer then that would be great cuse they mean somthin like each and the other i reckon now you hear .so ifin you conserve somthin then your makeing sure its goin to be protected and consrevered..but infin u were too preserev it. then you take it and make it right agin.like the preservation society that take things and presereversve them and all that i suppose.its like when u die .they presereve you in the coffin. but they sure couldnt consereve you whould they.i hope i cleired that up fur you

Answer 9

Technically if you preserve something, you maintain it in its current condition.  Conservation means protecting and managing an area.

In practice, the terms are usually used interchangeably.  In my area we have reserves and preserves.  Again, terms are pretty much interchangeable, but people used to argue about these terms.

Answer 10

For me, Preservation and conservation are both the same because preservation, attempts to keep a stone from deteriorating further, stabilizing it, and ensuring that it is there for future generations. No conservator will claim to be able to work on every type of material or every monument.. No conservator will claim to be able to work on every type of material or every monument.

"Preservation" refers to the steps taken to repair damages that have already occurred. Some archival institutions group them together and consider aspects conservation or preservation rather than splitting hairs. Many conservationists do the work of preservationists and vice versa.

Nation's riches lie both in its people and in its natural resources. Neither can exist in its highest estate without the other. intelligent, educated and right-minded. On the other hand it is equally true that if the people of a country are to make the most of themselves in mind and body; if they are to get the most comfort and happiness out of life and to become in the highest degree useful, they must develop its natural resources to the greatest possible degree.

The conservation and prenvention has the same ideas, and even the same methods and tools, but the main difference is preventing something from occurring vs. repairing what has already occurred.

Answer 11

It will depend on the context.  

Conservation is reducing the use of a resource.  i.e. Forest Conservation might refer to de-treeing less forest than before

Preservation is maintaining (and sometimes restoring). i.e. Forest Preservation might refer to setting aside a section of forest to prevent it from being touched (and possibly planting more trees to restore the area).

In a simple sense, the two terms mean the same thing and its only in a technical sense that you really have to worry about the difference.  If you can do one or both its a good thing :)

Answer 12

Preserve what is already there. Conserve so you can preserve. yes the end is the same.

Answer 13

Grandpa is conservative. He's not a preservative.

Answer 14

Preservation is a restorative act. Conservation is the arithmetic involved in preservation.

The big joke in the 80's was, "Conservation is a good thing, except there's no money in it."

Answer 15

We preserve things when we feel that we will not get that thing again.

Conservation means respecting the gift from the nature and try to use it in a more efficient manner.

Answer 16

there basically the sme

Answer 17

My suggestion would be that preservation normally refers to keeping something static, not changing it, and perhaps restoring it to original.

Conservation, in my opinion, relates to better utilizing or managing the use of a product or commodity, i.e, a non-renewable resource.

Answer 18

Change is a fact of life.

To preserve is to stop change.

Preservation should be reserved for things that belong in museums. If something is alive, you have to kill it to prevent change.

Conservation means using assets wisely and not waisting or destroying them. It can mean making changes to IMPROVE our environment.

Conservation is using the environment WISELY.

Answer 19

Preservation: The act or process of preserving, or keeping safe; the state of being preserved, or kept from injury, destruction, or decay; security; safety; as, preservation of life, fruit, game, etc.; a picture in good preservation.

Conservation: Preservation or restoration from loss, damage, or neglect: manuscripts saved from deterioration under the program of library conservation.

The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and of natural resources such as forests, soil, and water.

Answer 20

These words are often used interchangingly.

The way I see it....preserving something refers to something specific, like the preservation of a specific forest in Idaho, for example.

The term 'conservation' often refers to the conservation movement that exists today. The conservation movement includes things like preserving important lands, building sustainable economies, preventing wildlife extinction, etc.

Hope this clears things up for you.