Using natural resources
Human societies draw on resources such as land, water, wood and fossil fuels for agriculture, construction, energy and other needs.
Growth in population and economic activity can increase demand for these resources. If their use is poorly managed, the consequences can include damage to ecosystems, loss of biodiversity and effects on climate.
Conservation is the management of species and habitats so that present use is compatible with their persistence and availability in the future.
Sustainable management therefore does not necessarily mean excluding people from natural resources. It involves controlling their use so that meeting current needs does not remove the same opportunities from future generations.
Active habitat management can also form part of conservation, including intervention in succession when earlier stages support valuable biodiversity.