The Changing Conservation Scene

Abstract

The science and practice of conservation of wildlife / biodiversity has changed drastically over the years in the international arena due to evolving social standards, scientific understanding of plants and animals, ecology, and the impacts of human development. In Sri Lanka, these changes have not taken root as yet, and thus the implementation of conservation has been weak. This article reviews the past and present status of global changes to conservation as they affect the country, and outlines a future pathway to achieving sustainable biodiversity conservation. Human lifestyle changed from hunter -gatherer to the present via an initial agricultural -life style. The changes resulted in major landscape and resource exploitation, ultimately impacting the natural resources of the world. In this scenario, the desire to conserve biological diversity emerged through attitudinal changes, for example, from “Game” to “Wildlife” to “Biodiversity”. Resolutions for the conservation of biodiversity require an in-depth analysis of the environment, followed by a clear recognition of this transition from Game to Biodiversity. The global interest in conserving biodiversity has been strengthened by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Historical changes in Sri Lankan legislation reflect the various stages of resource exploitation and response to changes in global biodiversity. The new policy, while recognizing the “sustainable use” of natural resources, falls short of enabling this to happen. The future directions of conservation remain, therefore, a desire, but possible through the recognition of weakness in existing legislature and attitudes, and their subsequent rectificati on.