C1 WRITING TASK: ENVIRONMENT WRITING protecting conservation areas
Read the sample text about what measures need to be taken to protect animal species. Notce the following structure: • Discussion of two relevant measures for animal protecton • Argument why these measures can be helpful • Reasons to support the opinion
Write a similar essay on the measures that need to be taken to protect “conservation areas”. Keep the same structure as the one in the sample.
SAMPLE TEXT The extinction of animal species is a natural process that has occurred continuously over the course of Earth´s history. However, the mass extinctions evident today are clearly not part of that process. It is clear that governments need to take urgent measures to ensure that animal species red-listed as endangered are protected. Firstly, and arguably most importantly, governments must take measures both to restore and to protect the natural habitats of endangered animals. Many of these are being destroyed at an alarming rate by human activity such as urban expansion, logging and mining. We cannot expect to save species from extinction if we do not preserve the natural habitats in which they live. Governments globally must protect places of special interest against human interference. This can best be achieved through the creation of wildlife reserves and sanctuaries that are protected by law. Secondly, the introduction of stricter hunting regulations is a very important part of the solution. Many endangered species, for instance, tigers, elephants, bears and seals, are ruthlessly slaughtered for their body parts. It would be a good idea for governments to ensure that the full force of the law is used to punish those who, for whatever reason, hunt animals that inhabit protected areas or are on the brink of extinction. In addition, laws that prohibit the buying and selling of products from endangered species must also be passed. On balance, although both measures are necessary, I personally consider establishing wildlife reserves and sanctuaries a priority. Apart from safeguarding endangered or critically threatened species, these reserves also protect the natural habitats in which they live. They, therefore, ensure the preservation of the whole ecosystems, which are of value to us because of their unique and irreplaceable biodiversity.
Protecting our environment is one of the main goals of governments around the world. We must preserve our natural resources for future generations and this is the reason why many conservation areas are listed as Natural Parks or Wildlife Sanctuaries, precisely to be protected with strict regulations. However, many of these places can be damaged, so, several measures could be adopted. To start with; Public authorities should promote environmental Education so that humans get actively involved in green initiatives, for example: stop deforestation by planting trees on cut-down areas. Trees are natural filters of air that absorb CO2 and produce oxygen, so this measure would help to save birds and other animals. There are many community projects running in all cities that always welcome enthusiastic volunteers. Another group of measures worth mentioning has to do with the amount of tourists allowed to visit these areas daily. Although in some cases there is a limit, shipping/transport companies tend to turn a blind eye to the regulation in order to increase their income. This unlawful actions, like those of who pick up items or animals, such as shells, plants, insects, fish, from its natural habitat, should be penalized with high fines which would discourage them to repeat it in the future. Not to mention the problem of garbage. Each tourist should be given an individual plastic bag to keep their own trash. All things considered, it is my belief that although there must be stricter regulations to protect conservation areas, it is very important to enhance one’s understanding of the problem. States and governments are the most responsible, but citizens must also collaborate making an invaluable contribution. Cristina Spencer.
We are aware of the fact that the animal extinction process has been gradually happening for years. So, some social measures should be taken to avoid this threatening situation. Firstly, governments should set limits to big cities to protect conservation areas where animals can live, preventing animal migration to other places because urban expansion is one of the main threats to endangered animals. In addition, money should be invested by the government in order to create more new jobs, such as green areas surveillance, so that the fauna is not disturbed. Secondly, the number of visitors a day must be limited on certain islands to preserve their habitats, because the more visitors that enter the place, the more pollution that can be generated. Furthermore, throwing rubbish away on these islands should be fined. Throwing litter must not be allowed and visitors must put their own rubbish into a bag to put it away. Last but not least, hunting regulations must be established to avoid the fact that many endangered species, such as tigers, elephants, bears and so on, which are hunted by some humans only for decoration, may become extinct. Even a strict law must be passed to punish those who hunt for this purpose. Thirdly, renewable energy, recycling, fewer private cars and more public transport will also contribute to a world without pollution and minimise the risk of extinction of some endangered species. To conclude, if we take all these measures into account, we can contribute to the preservation of ecosystems, in order to respond to climate change, disaster and endangered species. Deborah Pousa
Over the years, extinction has been a major issue, especially among the main pro-animal organizations. The extinction of many species, along with their natural areas, has led to the appearance of organizations all over the world whose main goal is to protect them. There are a lot of measures that could be taken to prevent, or at least, minimize this problem. On the one hand, I consider recycling and buying sustainable products very important. If people bought eco-friendly products, like bamboo, fewer trees would have to be cut down, and less forests would have to be destroyed. On the other hand, protecting wildlife habitats is also crucial. When travelling, it’s very common to see people in natural areas throwing garbage away on the floor and not caring about the consequences. I think we must all be aware of the effects and contribute by not doing that. Also, I think governments should establish serious fines to those who think that this world is a big trash can. Besides, they can also have more police control on these protected areas. In conclusion, this issue could be controlled if everybody became aware of the consequences of their actions. Maybe watching documentaries of the kind might be a good idea to make an impact on kids. But I think the key lies in education, so parents and teachers have a great task here.
A research paper studied how insects affect our environment. In its conclusion, the scientists stated that if bugs were suddenly extinct, in fifty years time most other animals would also be extinct. They add so much to any ecosystem that they would collapse without them. On the other hand, it is well known that if humans were extinct, life on Earth would flourish like never before. To illustrate, it is estimated that in the last five hundred years humans have caused more than three hundred animal extinctions. To start with, there are companies whose profit depends, to some extent, on the specific activity that damages the environment or conservation areas. To solve this, I would suggest to forbid or highly tax any activity directly affecting the area and control the damage with the tax funding. While it might have a negative effect in the economy, it would be beneficial in the long term. However, there are places where the situation is trickier and the issue tends to blame cultural heritage or extreme poverty. I am convinced that the only solution in these cases is education. All in all, the way I see it is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution and we have to take everything into consideration before jumping to any conclusion. Nonetheless, I am in favour of learning extensively more from insects’ behaviour. Daniel Fernåndez Soliùo
Nowadays, some old areas in our town are neglected and, what is more, most of them are underestimated. The importance of these areas is evident because they are part of our heritage. However, citizens and the government are not aware of the loss that it implies, so we need to take urgent measures to ensure that conservation areas are protected. Firstly, and arguably most important, the government must take measures to restore the old part of the town, even if there is nobody living there. Many of these areas are empty because a lot of money needs to be invested in restoring, for example, housing, small factories or even traditional shops. This can be achieved through government benefits. Secondly, the introduction of stricter bylaws is a very important part of the solution. Many conservation areas are demolished and modernised. It would be a good idea for the government to ensure that the full force of the law is used to forbid this destruction and modernization and, as a consequence, its disappearance. Finally, all things considered, although both measures are necessary, there is no doubt in my opinion that if the government gave more facilities to citizens, they would be more interested in restoring their historical and cultural heritage.
Nowadays it is extensively accepted that irrational human behaviour is destroying the majority of the unique and invaluable habitats and ecosystems in our planet. Deforestation, pollution and consumerism are putting human life viability at stake. Protecting conservation areas is being considered as one of the core elements to stop this crazy race to a real abyss. To start with, we must enlarge and increase the number of conservation areas. This will mean an invaluable contribution to protect our biodiversity. In order to achieve this, governments all around the world should develop procedures to identify and locate which specific areas have to be urgently protected. An active and direct involvement of local communities will increase the success of these policies. This fundamental measure has to be necessarily accompanied by laws aimed at stopping the pollution created by factories, cities and economic activity in general. Secondly, and probably the most challenging measure, ecological awareness applied to our way of life must be introduced in the curriculum from the very beginning. We have to take into account that every single and little act in our daily life has an immediate impact on the environment, and it can be detrimental or beneficial. Cultivating a deep appreciation of nature and animals in our children will make the difference. In short, we still have the chance to reverse the damage we have inflicted to our one and only planet. It is in our hands and we only need to be conscious and face the problem once for all. Noa Rios Bergantinhos
Nowadays, thanks to easy access to travel, budget airlines and the need to be different, everyone prefers to travel to protected areas. However, it is necessary to ask ourselves if this fashion will end up destroying them. It is clear that governments need to take measures to ensure that conservation areas are protected from mass tourism. Firstly, it is obvious that it is essential to reduce the number of tourists and, if necessary, for example, for the ecosystem or the reproduction of species, to ban tourism at certain times of the year. Furthermore, governments should adopt restrictive measures for the construction of hotels (their number, their size) or other buildings for tourists and always use local materials with ecological constructive solutions that cause the least possible impact on the environment. Secondly, local people need to be involved in the protection of these areas. Locals often complain that, in these spaces, there is not employment or facilities to live. It would be a good idea that governments use the money that is generated to create alternative sources of employment, such as guides or wardens. Tourists could stay in houses with the local people and eat in local restaurants, so the could experience the local culture. In conclusion, it is essential to protect conservation areas. Only by adopting this type of measures we can protect these spaces for future generations, but we can not forget the population who lives there. Thus, we must combine the protection of these areas with the facilities and wealth for local communities. Pilar Moledo.
Conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their natural or ecological value. Having these areas protected by law is crucial for the conservation of the global biodiversity. One of the most essential measures that is needed is providing threatened and endangered species with habitats. Due to the massive increase in human population and, therefore, the increase in resources, some areas are being destroyed and, as a consequence, the species living in them. One of the most recent examples is the deforestation in the Amazon or Nigeria, where the Cross River gorillas are at risk of extinction. Another measure that needs to be taken to protect these areas is restricting the human access to them. In order to achieve that, it is necessary a direct involvement of the Government or other organizations and guarantee that the measures approved are being accomplished. Some of those rules are as easy as reducing and controlling the visiting rate or limiting the area by enclosing it. This measure will also help to decrease the amount of litter produced by the human population and consequently avoid polluting the area. In conclusion, protected areas are a global concern, and it is crucial to preserve them and the endangered species in order to shelter our global biodiversity. In my personal opinion, I consider that Governments need to become more involved in these issues and call for drastic actions with the purpose of a better world. Xulia Gil MiguĂŠns
Climate change and man-made global warming have brought to light the importance of the necessity of protecting some natural habitats from the impact of human activity. The maintenance of those protected areas has to cope with multiple challenges, as it could be finding reliable measures to preserve the biodiversity of the planet. One aspect to consider is the fact that many conservation areas are located in developing countries which, quite often, lack the funds and resources to protect their flora and fauna from poaching, as well as from oil, logging, or mining corporation interests. As the environment is a matter that concerns humanity as a whole, and the survival of mankind is at stake in medium term, all countries (especially the better-off) should contribute to pay the bill. Doing so, it could even make possible to create new nature reserves around the world or expand the existing ones. Another problem that some of the natural reserves have to deal with is the pressure of the surrounding local communities which are prone to not seeing them as an asset to protect but a hindrance that prevents them from doing their business when competing for the same resources (say water for crops or grasslands for livestock, as an example). Funds must be provided for their development as much as in the actual protected areas, if encouraging those communities to turn on the tourism revenues is not possible. In sum, it is always a matter of money, but we should consider that expense as an investment in our survival, or even as a fee for our failure on not having built a more sustainable society in the past.
Conservation areas involve those areas of special ecologic value or those ones devoted to protect biodiversity or natural resources that are threatened by human activity. It is taken for granted that the designation of conservation areas could be the best way to preserve nature but, how do we protect these conservation areas?, what measures are needed to protect them? Firstly, it is essential to minimise human impact, being this the main cause of the destruction of ecosystems. Following into this topic, reducing the number of visitors to these areas might be a very effective measure. Furthermore, it would draw attention to the importance of the area and the need of preventing it from the invasion of hordes of visitors. Secondly, there must be some rules to be obeyed by visitors. To start with, the access to some areas should be only by collective transport . Besides, the prohibition of leaving the allowed routes and the respect of flora and fauna are crucial. Finally, you have to take back home the rubbish you produce. Rubbish bins are not needed. Last but not least, education should be the most efficient and effective measure to be taken. Respect, knowledge, environmental awareness and commitment will lead us to preserve our planet. It is important to remember that we have not inherited the planet where we live from our ancestors but we have borrowed it from future generations.
Isabel
Are there still any chances to protect the most endangered species on Earth? It is undeniable that the relentless harm caused by human activity is worryingly destroying the planet we all live in. Because of deforestation, human encroaching upon wild areas and illegal timber trade, the largest and most important virgin areas on the planet are disappearing. As a result, rare animal population declines at an alarming rate. Some critically threatened species may disappear in a short time. Saving the remaining unspoiled areas is vital. Despite being the authorities who have the responsibility and resources to adopt the necessary measures, getting actively involved with organizations such as, Greenpeace or WWF can help enforce the law against trading and poaching in one hand and also, enlarge the number of designated conservation areas. Another key aspect to consider is the impact of pollution on the planet, that is, the footprint and residue we generate. The injury has been growing dramatically over the past years. However, we as citizens can find ways to minimize the damage. For instance, doing a conscious use of non-recyclable plastic, reducing our water consumption and, last but not least, developing one’s understanding on the issue in order to avoid further draining of the planet’s natural resources. In conclusion, social awareness on the topic needs to be raised and even though there is no doubt that the solution won’t be achieved effortlessly, our commitment towards the environment is key to reverse the tendency of destruction. Mireia Bruguera
Humanity has been exploiting environmental resources for ages. Activities like mining and logging have always been a constant in our society, but their massive intensification, the destruction of a big number of ecosystems and the extinction of their local species have made it necessary to protect conservation areas. In the first place, the governments must forbid any type of exploitation in conservation areas. Some areas are incredibly delicate and the wrong move could cause the complete extinction of the species in it. Another point worth mentioning is that educate people about this conservation areas and their importance is vital for their long term existence as an educated population would me more conscious about the environment and the need to protect these unique areas. In conclusion, both the establishment of very strict regulations in conservation areas and awareness campaigns are vital for their existence as these areas are in constant danger and must be protected at all costs. MartĂn FernĂĄndez
Nowadays, conservation areas need to be protected by urgent measures that governments and, in general, citizens must take. It is my belief that if we do not take action at the present time, we will see the negative effects in the short term. Firstly, invasive species must not be planted in this zones, because they spoil the ecosystem. In addition, non-native flora and fauna can alter the rate of growth of those which are endemic, causing serious problems to natural habitats, too. Secondly, from my point of view, another solution is to consider the laws related to environment protection and think about making them stricter. For example, if someone sets fire to a forest, this criminal must pay a high fine or even go to prison. Taking everything into account, I am convinced that human beings must protect not only conservation areas, but also the endangered species that live there. What is more, we should not deteriorate wildlife reserves, as the biodiversity might disappear, loosing an important and necessary part of our world. Ana MuĂąoz VilariĂąo
Conservation areas is an important issue today. Nowadays, climate change is one of the most important problems in our society, and it affects all of us around the world. It is obvious that governments need to take urgent measures to protect conservation areas, as well as the flora y fauna that live there. In the first place, I am convinced that environmental education is fundamental since we are children. We must know, for example, not only the endangered species that exist, but also what measures we have to take to protect them. We have to be conscientious about the importance of maintaining a balance between human activity and the environment. Another key aspect is forest fire prevention and reforestation. Conservation of vegetation is essential, as well as to restore and to protect natural habitats. Last but not least , governments should punish those who make illegal activities, such as illegal hunting and fishing, or logging and mining in wildlife reserves, according to an specific law. If the punishment was a fine, governments should use that money to improve and to keep conservation areas. Taking everything into consideration, from my point of view all measures are necessary. It is in our hand to avoid an imbalance on the planet. It is vital to protect conservation areas both for the species that live there and for humans.
After decades of irresponsible behaviour, it seems that the human being has finally realized a change must take place as soon as possible. I strongly believe that climate change is the big concern of this millennium. Habitat loss, fragmentation, over exploitation of natural resources, pollution and the spread of invasive species have being recognized as the Big Five threats to global biodiversity. All these big problems are difficult to solve on the whole, but with little actions it is possible to make a big change. As an example, I would like to mention the efforts a small municipality in Guatemala has made in order to improve its environment. In the first place, they have decided that plastic products should be banned and violators of this decision will be fined. Napkins, paper bags and baskets could be used as an alternative. As plastic bags don´t decay, they contaminate. By contrast, the paper bags they use can be made into compost once they are not used. All the same, the local fishermen have also organized to clean up trash from the nearby lake. Each year they remove about 600 to 700 sacks of trash. Last but not least, the town has also created its own system to sort and recycle all of its trash. As a consequence, in less than a year they have reduced plastic use by 80%. Another point worth mentioning is that they went from door to door to educate people on the important role that each and every one of them has to play to rescue our planet. From my point of view, education is fundamental. Taking everything into account, it is obvious that all these measures have to be taken and followed to preserve nature by humankind. In my opinion, this is the only way to save our planet.
Protecting conservation areas has a crucial importance to preserve ecosystems, natural habitats and to maintain the life of the species in natural surroundings. Due to the fact that global warming is continuously increasing, it is evident that necessary measures have to be taken in order to protect conservation areas. Firstly, protected areas, when integrated as a part of larger and connected conservation networks, offer practical, tangible solutions to the problems of boths species loss and adaptation to climate change. To illustrate, the management requires greater inclusivity, governments not only must cope with conservation areas but also indigenous people, local communities, private owners and other actors must be enrolled. we can not expect to protect the area if we do not design appropriately and manage effectively. Secondly, strict protection measures with limited human access to guard landscapes and seascapes have to be introduced. What is more, protection should also ensure that ecosystems complexity is recovered, especially in the ocean, besides maintaining connectivity between protected areas, will be a key strategy to allow plants and animal species to adapt to climate change. Taking everything into account could make a valuable contribution to overall efforts to address threatened species, deforestation, the lack of natural resources and climate change. I strongly believe special measures need to be taken to conserve biological diversity to control endangered species, deforestation and to avoid greenhouse gas emissions. Puri Mendoza
The defense of conservation areas is necessary and of great importance, so governments need to take urgent measures to ensure their protection. Firstly, governments should invest more money in restoring and protecting natural habits, many of which are being destroyed by urban expansion, logging and other human activities due to economic interests. Not to mention the fact that a large number of animals are ruthlessly slaughtered for their body parts, mainly the ones which are on the brink of extinction, with the only purpose of trading with them or simply for pleasure. Secondly, I consider that urban and hunting regulations are not strict enough and this should be taken into account by governments all over the world as it would help to achieve a solution to the problem. In addiction, people ought to become actively involved in this problem by organising events, not only to show children the real consequences but also to raise awareness. In conclusion, all measures are absolutely essential since all of them are part of a solution which I personally consider ugent. Apart from this, the preservation of the whole ecosystems is crucial to keep a balance in our world. Cheli Silva