Download Conservation_in_situ_RIM

Conservation in situ
List 5 National Parks in the UK
National parks
Brecon Beacons
The Broads
Cairngorms
Dartmoor
Exmoor
The Lake District
Loch Lomond
New Forest
Northumberland
North York Moors
Peak District
Pembrokeshire Coast
Snowdonia
Yorkshire Dales
Learning objectives
You should be able to describe the
conservation of endangered plant and
animal species in situ with reference to the
advantages and disadvantages of this
approach
What is conservation in situ?
This means protecting and minimising
human impact on the natural environment
In other words, trying to maintain
endangered species of plants and animals
in their natural habitat.
Legislation
We can pass laws to protect areas where
endangered species live. There are 2
basic problems.
1) Some countries may be reluctant to pass
legislation e.g. Japan continues whaling
2) It may be impossible to enforce due to
local corruption of lack of law and order
e.g. much logging in Brazil occurs in
protected areas
Conservation in parks
We can use legislation to create areas
where plant and animal species are
protected
Examples are the UK system of National
Parks and National and local nature
reserves
How should we chose the areas
that we are going to protect?
We must look at the species and habitat present
and decide if they are rare enough, or if the area
has a high enough biodiversity, to deserve
protection
We must decide if the area is large enough to
make a valid reserve. Small populations tend to
die out, partly due to their reduced gene pool
We must also think about the gene pool of the
species present that we are trying to conserve.
Has it already been so reduced that it is not
viable
Advantages to designating an area
as a reserve
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Organisms are conserved in their natural environment
Biodiversity and ecosystems are permanently protected
Examples of natural and cultural heritage are protected
The areas can be managed to maximise biodiversity
There may be economic benefits e.g. tourism
There may be better opportunities of scientific research
It may be possible to restore the ecological integrity of an
area
Indigenous people
Good practice involves working with the
indigenous people in a reserve who may
use the land for hunting or for whom it may
hold spiritual significance
In the past this was not always the case and
there have been examples of indigenous
people being moved out of reserves when
they are created
Conflict
Reserves may produce conflict with those living in
or around it.
• Protected animals may come out of the reserve
and raid crops of kill livestock or people e.g.
tigers in the Sunderbands
• People may continue to hunt illegally within the
reserve
• Illegal harvesting may continue e.g. of timber
• Tourists may cause disturbance
Conservation bodies in the UK
The following national organizations are
responsible for conservation in the UK
Natural England
Scottish Natural Heritage
The Countryside Council for Wales
The Environment and Heritage Service for
Northern Ireland
These are the types of designated
conservation area in the UK
National Parks: there are 14
National Nature Reserves (NNR): there are
about 215
Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI):
there are bout 6000 e.g. the Chilterns
Local Nature Reserves: often run by local
wildlife trusts
Repopulation
Where biodiversity has been lost it is possible to reintroduce plants and
animals
• An excellent example is the introduction of red kites to Aston
Rowant Local Nature Reserve in the 1990s
• We now see them throughout the Chilterns
We can also recreate ecosystems
• For example the recreation of reed beds in the UK has provided new
areas that bitterns and otters have colonized
• In the Phinda Reserve in South Africa the indigenous fauna such as
white rhinos and cheetahs has been introduced to replace livestock