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Conservation? What it stands for and it’s importance in today’s world

Musings by the author on the importance of conservation in our modern life, the evils of technological advances without checking the effects it has on nature.

“Conservation” is a powerful word in today’s context. We hear this word in our daily busy schedule life frequently. The question is, what actually is conservation and what does it entail? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “conservation is the protection of plants and animals, natural areas, and interesting and important structures and buildings, especially from the damaging effects of human activity”.

Picnics being held at the Jaintia river _ Conservation

Picnic being held at the Jaintia river

We might say that true conservation is carefully using valuable natural substances that exist in limited amounts in the world, in order to make certain that they will be available for an as long time as possible. On another note, we can also say that Conservation is “a procedure for a careful preservation and protection of something; especially, planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or negligence”. This is a theoretical definition of conservation on different platforms. For me personally, conservation is not only preserving natural resources, it’s also a process to raise awareness in people regarding our surrounding natural resources while keeping nature and all that it encompasses safe with help of this awareness.

Victim of rash driving_Conservation

Victim of rash driving

People of the 21st century are getting more and more involved in the daily rat-race, to earn & achieve – be that monetary, success or accolades. Reaching targets before deadlines have become the national agenda. Someone succeed, someone doesn’t, but not for the lack of trying. In between, we, as people,  forget our basic ethics which is becoming invisible more and more nowadays. Childhood was the time spent in the midst of nature trails, and lessons on preserving the beauty and sanctity of all things natural. But as time goes by, somehow we forget this essential thought. From day to night we abuse nature with different ways and forms.  We buy a bottle of water in a disposable plastic bottle, and after finishing water we throw out this same bottle on road-sides, or median.  We throw wrappers, plastic carry-bags, various plastic items, spoilt electronic goods etc. without proper segregation of waste materials. We fill-up our neighbored wetlands in the name of development, we cut down trees with no thoughts on the future. Fuels like petrol, diesel and kerosene are used daily everywhere and by everyone without qualms or the number of greenhouse gases they emit. As a result pollution levels increase day by day, yet bringing about more destruction of nature and its resources.

Plastic graveyard for butterflie_Conservation

Plastic graveyard for butterflies

Going on hikes on nature-trails and safaris into the forest has become quite popular. Everyone wants to be an amateur nature photographer, and share their latest foray into the forest to in social media. Although, as usual, people forget to maintain the rules during their sojourn into the forests. A short trip into the Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal revealed groups of tourists having picnics in the reserved forest grounds while littering the area with disposable plastic trash thrown in the jungle, which is strictly prohibited. Second, we come to rash driving which is a serious issue throughout all forest reserve & national park of India. The roads and highways crisscrossing and intersecting in the reserve forests and conserved sanctuaries see a lot of traffic, with many people driving recklessly, well over the speed limit. This often results in roadkills, with innocent forest-dwelling animals falling victims to the need for speed.

If we are not aware of the perils of our lifestyle this time, the day is not far when we might lose all our natural resources. We must think of our next generation, of what is being left behind us for them, green Earth, or a world full of trash!

 

Cover Photo: Parties organized in forest lands are a threat to wildlife 


Read also:  Elephants crossing – Roads most travelled


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About the Author /

Shiladitya Acharjee hails from Alipurduar. He is passionate about wildlife and conservation. He currently works as a butterfly enthusiast at Buxa Tiger Reserve.

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