Essay topic advantages and disadvantages of wild conservation programs

Faculty of Finance and Banking

Topic: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF WILD CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

Subject: Developing IELTS 2 Implemented by: Group 2 Class: 23106ENTI0814

Lecturer: Mrs Nguyen Thuy Linh & Mrs Vu Thi Thu Trang

Hanoi – 2023

2.2.5 Climate change mitigation 6

2.3.Disadvantages of Wild Conservation Programs 7

2.3.1 High Costs 7

2.3.2 Conflict with Human Needs 7

2.3.3 Adverse impact on the eco-system 7

2.3.4 Ethical concerns 8

APPENDIX 10

CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM 2 Địa điểm: Google meet

3 Thành phần tham gia: 4 thành viên nhóm 2 4 Nội dung cuộc họp

- Chủ toạ nêu lý do: Thống nhất đánh giá quá trình làm việc nhóm 2, điều chỉnh bảng điểm của các thành viên

- Chụ toạ nêu lên đánh giá, nhận xét từng thành viên trong quá trình làm bài thảo luận Biểu quyết đồng ý hoặc phản đối bởi tất cả thành viên

- Nêu lên ý kiến của từng thành viên trong quá trình thảo luận để rút kinh nghiệm

- Sau khi biểu quyết, nhóm đã biểu quyết thống với bảng đánh giá thành viên với mức điểm như sau:

Xác định mức độ tham gia và kết quả tham gia của từng thành viên trong việc thực hiện bài tập nhóm như sau:

Nhóm trưởng: Nguyễn Thị Thuỳ Linh

I Survey on Wild Conservation Program Awareness ResultI.1.Introduction

Nature is our life-support system From the fresh air, we breathe to the clean water we drink, nature provides the essentials we all rely on for our survival and well-being And it also holds the key to our prosperity, with millions of livelihoods and much of our economic activity also depending on the natural world These immense benefits to humanity, estimated to be worth around US$125 trillion a year, are only possible if we maintain a rich diversity of wildlife.

We know that we are losing nature faster than it can restore itself And without urgent action, significant harm to humans and the environment is inevitable Regarding the detrimental impacts on people, a lot of problems are mentioned including inadequate food and water for our growing global population, significant harm to our economies, and the mass extinction of an estimated one million species Likewise, there is an alarming amount of environmental problems that have both direct and indirect threats on the Earth, according to World Wildlife Fund, such as climate change, deforestation, forest degradation, illegal fishing, pollution, soil erosion, water scarcity, etc

The world is no stranger to these issues, with governments in many countries already pledging action to tackle nature loss through a variety of wild conservation programs For instance, the drives taken by their administration include EPBC Act Conservation Agreements; they are arrangements between the Australian Government Environment Minister and some other individuals for the assurance and preservation of biodiversity in the space of land or ocean On top of that The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in 2019, in collaboration with the Department of Culture, Heritage, and the Gaeltacht, submitted a detailed report about the ongoing conservation efforts and the status of wildlife and their habitat Besides, China revisited its wildlife conservation policy and pledged to double its efforts for the protection of wildlife in the country Based on the revised policy and research data, China added hundreds of plant and animal species to the state-protected wildlife list.

These programs cannot achieve the most effective result in conserving nature if there is only the implementation of the governments It is important to involve the

citizens in the domain of the conservation of the environment and biodiversity conservation

Therefore, we conduct the survey to discover the awareness level of students in TMU about the wild conservation program, hence having an appropriate approach to give them comprehensive knowledge about it.

I.2.Methodology

Regarding methodology, we carried out quantitative research using primary data collected by all members of our group

Our data collection method is an online survey via Google Form The survey consisted of 4 questions evaluating the level, and 1 question measured on a 5-point Likert scale The goal was to collect survey responses from 30 students learning in class K57HH1, majoring in Finance and Commercial banking on three days from 21 to 23 April 2023.

Our questionnaire is divided into two parts: concern about the environment and conservation awareness.

I.3.Result

a, Concern about the environment

Seven environmental issues are asked to reveal the concern level of students from “Not at all concerned” to “Extremely concerned” including:

+ The effects of pollution on water

+ Diseases transferring from animals to humans + The effects of pollution on air

+ Decreases in wildlife numbers + Depletion of natural resources + The impact of global climate change + Decreases in biodiversity

The result shows that almost students have a particular concern about the current global environmental problems Particularly, about a third of respondents concern about the aforementioned issues Some of students “extremely concern” about pollution, climate change, etc.

About one in five of the total strongly agree with the statement “There is real risk that many species will go extinct in the future” Meanwhile, 30% of respondents

recognize that “Declines in wildlife poses a substantial threat to human wellbeing” Moreover, young people acknowledge that humans are at fault for wildlife extinction since there are approximately half of the people strongly or somewhat agree that “Humans are the leading cause of wildlife extinction” But much fewer (30%) believe they personally can make a difference in wildlife conservation.

b, Conservation Awareness

Youths are aware of many environmental issues such as “Melting in the Arctic region is reducing polar bear habitat” or “Paper products contribute to deforestation” But they lack awareness of issues like “Planting native gardens can help increase bee populations” and “Palm oil harvesting is severely reducing habitats for animals”.

Regarding some activities in conservating nature, most respondents recycle electronics or purchase recycled paper products, but few plant native gardens or purchase sustainable palm oil or seafood

The level of awareness about wild conservation program of students is quite low, most of them know some famous international projects like Word Wildlife Fund for Nature and well-known domestic ones like Wildlife Conservation Society, but do not aware other national ones such as Protect endangered turtles in Kyparissia, Greece (Geometric Tortoise Preserve), Wasgamuwa National Park (Sri Lanka) or Save the Tasmanian Devil Program (Australia), etc Furthermore, they consider these project not effective enough in the conservation natural life since the average point is 3 out 5.

In conclusion, the students express a major concern for natural problems but lack knowledge about conservation programs.

II Wild Conservation program analysis2.1 Introduction

At the present time, our world is facing serious challenges The number of endangered species is increasing, habitats are disappearing and the pressures of human consumption on the planet continue to grow The current rate of species extinction is estimated to be 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural rate The average size of wildlife populations has plummeted by two-thirds (68%) worldwide since 1970, according to WWF's Living Planet Report 2020 Therefore, wildlife conservation programs were established.

Wildlife conservation programs are initiatives designed to protect and preserve the natural habitats and populations of wild animals These programs may be carried out by governments, non-profit organizations, or private entities, and typically involve a range of strategies and actions, including:

- Habitat protection: This involves preserving and restoring natural habitats, such as forests, wetlands, and grasslands, that provide critical habitat for wild animals.

- Anti-poaching measures: This involves cracking down on the illegal poaching of wild animals for their skins, meat, or other body parts.

- Education and outreach: This involves raising awareness about the importance of wildlife conservation and promoting public engagement in conservation efforts.

- Wildlife research and monitoring: This involves studying wild animals and their habitats to better understand their needs and threats, and monitoring their populations over time.

- Conservation breeding and reintroduction programs: This involves breeding and raising endangered species in captivity and releasing them back into the wild to bolster their populations.

There are many organizations or programs operating around the world Here are some examples of wildlife conservation programs:

Firstly, we will talk about the World Wide Fund For Nature - WWF is one of the world's largest non-governmental organizations for the protection of nature WWF aspires to reduce the global destruction of nature to build a future where people live in harmony with nature:

- Conserve the world's biodiversity.

- Ensure the use of renewable natural resources is maintained.

- Promote the reduction of environmental pollution and wasteful consumption Another example of a wildlife conservation program is Zoological Society of London-ZSL Their goal for the future is a world where wildlife thrives - a more balanced, connected and vibrant world where people and wildlife live better together.

There are also many wildlife conservation programs in Vietnam such as

- Save Vietnam's Wildlife – SVW is a Vietnamese non-profit organization, established due to the urgent need for a more effective solution to secure the future of wildlife in Vietnam.

- The Centre for Conservation of Nature and Development (CCD) is a Vietnamese non-governmental organization working independently in the field of biodiversity research and conservation, sustainable forest management and implementation of activities development assistance to harmonize the issues of nature conservation and community development, between people and the biosphere in Vietnam.

2.2 Advantages of Wild Conservation Program

2.2.1 Biodiversity preservation

- Wildlife conservation programs help to protect and preserve different species of plants and animals, thereby safeguarding the overall biodiversity of an ecosystem.

- In the jungle, lots of animals depend on each other through food chains and food webs There are several endangered species throughout the world that are near extinction For example, antelopes are on the endangered species list If they cease to exist, it will create a deficit of food sources for animals, such as lions, cheetahs, and leopards If this occurs, those cats will then become at risk of extinction since their main food source is no longer available They will also begin to feed on other animals, such as giraffes, which will then put giraffes in danger of extinction Also, they will feed on plants in the forest or jungle that are normally consumed by other animals, such as deer, which will then cause the deer population to decrease

- It is important because a diverse range of species helps to maintain the balance of an ecosystem and prevent the extinction of any one species

2.2.2 Ecotourism

- Attract visitors to local areas with unique and protected wildlife populations such as forests and mountains, which can provide a sustainable source of income for local communities through ecotourism

- Example: Countries with the largest portion of wild animals are known to attract a bigger number of tourists, which is the case in regions such as the Amazon and countries such as Costa Rica, Kenya, Brazil, Thailand, and South Africa.

- Encourage jobs and economic opportunities while also preserving natural habitats

2.2.3 Scientific research and medicinal value

- Provide opportunities for scientific research and monitoring of wildlife populations, which can contribute to our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem health

- A chance for researchers to discover a significant number of new plants and animals

- Chemicals from nature have been a part of human civilization ever since our early ancestors began using them to improve and enrich their own lives

- Example: Amphibians are especially important for modern medicine with compounds extracted from frogs alone used for treating depression, seizures, strokes, and memory loss We also rely on animals for a range of novel compounds including “frog glue,” a flexible adhesive obtained from the glands of Australian holy cross frog species used to treat human knee injuries; lanolin and Vitamin D3 derived from sheep’s wool; and Premarin, prepared from mare’s urine and used to treat menopausal symptoms.

2.2.4 Educational value

- Watching animals helps children to conceptualize ideas and develop their imagination, which is important for their growth.

- Educational programs and outreach initiatives can raise awareness for people of all ages by showing the impact of human activities on the environment, and introducing how to reduce negative impacts

2.2.5 Climate change mitigation

- Mitigate the impacts of climate change by protecting forests, wetlands, and other natural habitats that store carbon and help regulate the Earth’s climate

- Example: Protecting wildlife could significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of destructive forest wildfires Plant-eating wild animals reduce the amount of grass that can fuel fires through grazing In Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa, for example, one of the world’s largest grazers, the white rhinoceros, has been known to reduce the spread and intensity of the fire, especially after high rainfall when grass grows more rapidly.

Furthermore, large wild grass-eaters such as elephants, zebras, rhinos, and camels do not produce so much methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as domestic livestock This is because they digest grass in a different way than livestock – using a large, single stomach rather than regurgitating their food.

To sum up, wildlife conservation programs bring a huge amount of benefits to not only animals and plants but also to humans

2.3 Disadvantages of Wild Conservation Programs

2.3.1 High Costs

Wildlife conservation programs require a huge amount of financial resources for things such as research, habitat preservation, and anti-poaching measures Developing and implementing a conservation program that helps protect wild animals can require a lot of money, and this may not always be feasible for all organizations And for countries with limited resources, these costs can be a significant burden.

For example, the Great Ape Conservation Fund (GACF), was established in 2000 by

the US government to protect populations of chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, and other great apes in their natural habitats However, in 2020, funding for the GACF was cut from $4 million to just $1.5 million This drastic reduction made it difficult to continue efforts to protect endangered great apes, with some programs shutting down entirely due to a lack of funding.

2.3.2 Conflict with Human Needs

Human-wildlife conflict is another significant challenge of wildlife conservation Wildlife conservation programs often require the removal or restriction of human activities in the areas designated for conservation This can lead to conflicts with the local people who may depend on these areas for their livelihoods.

An example of this is the conservation of elephants in India While the

conservation efforts have helped to increase the elephant population, they have also created conflicts between elephants and farmers, leading to crop damage and loss of life.

2.3.3 Adverse impact on the eco-system

Sometimes, wildlife conservation programs can have an adverse impact on the ecosystem by introducing non-native species or altering natural habitats For instance,