Selection 3

Principles of Conservation

Gifford Pinchot

In this article Pinchot explains how the movement of conservation of natural resources began in forestry and what its principles are. Conservation stands for development in the present and the future. The development and use of resources such as coal and water are as important to this generation and future generations. Conservation also stands for waste. We must manage waste efficiently but there are different views on how far we can go with the waste and destruction of natural resources. The last very important principle is that the development of preservation of natural resources must benefit all, and not be done to profit a few. These principles of conservation apply to all interests of the people and are valuable in education about our natural resources. These principles which originated in forestry will have their use in other applications for national efficiency.

This was taken from his book written in 1910. I think that over the last 100 years these principles of conservation which originated in forestry have gone into all aspects of governing the United States and Canada. I also find it interesting that he knew it is hard to draw a line on where waste and environmental damage is going too far. I believe that this was one of the down falls of society and has caused some of our societies mistakes because some people believed that what they were doing was not damaging. Some examples would be destroyed species habitats by lumber production/housing developments and forests harvested that have not reached maturity resulting in wasted unusable lumber.