Conservation vs Preservation – Is there a difference?

Jonathan Vannoy, Natural Resource Specialist, BCCD
Let’s take a minute to think about conservation.  After all, conservation is the primary focus of what we do here at the Bradford County Conservation District.  It’s in our name!  The mission of the BCCD is to: Lead, Educate, and Empower people to manage resources wisely. 
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When it comes to resource management, we need to look at what the resources are and what our objectives or goals are when we are deciding how to manage them.  Resource management can look different depending on our goals.  For example, in forest management, the goal can be to promote and encourage habitat for deer to thrive in.  In this scenario, cutting the forest’s biggest canopy trees may be advised to let daylight in and promote the growth of young forest for deer to browse.  Alternatively, if the goal of your forest management plan is to promote old growth trees, you may not want your trees to be cut down (however, a complete hands-off approach may still not be feasible when considering things like invasive species, etc.).  While either approach requires planning, the difference between the two is the difference between Conservation and Preservation.