Conservation is the protection and wise management of the environment. People practise conservation so that the environment can preserve their needs and the needs of all other living things. Without conservation, all the resources necessary for life - air, animals, energy, minerals, plants, soil, and water - would be damaged, wasted, or destroyed.

Conservation also includes a concern for the quality of the environment, so that people can enjoy living in it. It means keeping it healthy and safe - and an interesting place to live in. A healthy environment includes clean streets and highways, with open spaces in cities for parks and playgrounds. Ideal surroundings mean landscapes free of junk and litter. They include regions of wilderness where animals and plants can he protected from the destructive influence of human beings.