Preserving land for wildlife - Essay Example

Responsibility to Preserve Land for Wildlife Over the years, land has undergone unprecedented deterioration, particularly in the United States due to indifference by major stakeholders (Environmental Law Institute, 2003). Since the land forms the biggest natural habitat for a vast majority of wildlife, it is critical to note that the preservation of land is significant in the present world (Gustanski, & Squires, 2000). Perhaps the question that lingers in everyone’s mind is who bears the responsibility of preserving land.

Is it the land Trusts, the government, or the community? The best answer to this question will come up only when all the stakeholders come together in honor of wildlife (Libresco, Balantic, & Kipling, 2011). Although wildlife is the greatest beneficiary of land preservation, it is imperative for everyone to involve him or herself in land preservation measures. Certainly, wildlife is a great heritage of every society due to the socio-economic benefits that it brings forth. It essentially means that both wildlife and humans ought to coexist peacefully without one interfering with the habitat of the other (Libresco, Balantic, & Kipling, 2011).

Unfortunately, human activities have led to the degradation of land, which is the natural habitat of wild animals (Brewer, 2003). For example, such activities as human settlement, deforestation, and industrialization have greatly interfered with land thus posing a huge threat to the survival of most animal species. In this respect, there have been robust campaigns and sensitizations to preserve land and subsequently wildlife (Gustanski, & Squires, 2000). The campaign has been especially intense in the United States where deforestation has taken place on a massive scale.

Indiana is one of the states that suffer the biggest damage because of deforestation. Various Land trusts and other environmental agencies have spearheaded a campaign to rehabilitate derelict land (Benson et al., 2005). In as much as the government bear the greatest responsibility of preserving land that is found within its jurisdiction, it is important to note that individual citizens are also taxed with equal responsibility (Environmental Law Institute, 2003). It means that no one is immune when it comes to matters pertaining with environmental conservation.

Perhaps it is instructive to highlight that any adverse impact on land rages equally on wildlife and man. Therefore, citizens ought to take up an active role in land conservation in order to preserve the endangered species and in the process, make the world a better place to live in (Gustanski, & Squires, 2000).Besides the collective responsibility of the community, the government has the sole responsibility of conserving the environment, which includes land, through the formulation and enforcement of stern environmental policies (Benson et al., 2005). Although various land policies exists, deforestation and environmental degradation still takes place on a massive scale, especially in Indiana.

The problem lies with the implementation part of the policies whereby the legal frameworks for prosecuting offenders are still weak (Brewer, 2003). Additionally, federal government and the county governments have not fully engaged the local community in implementing environmental agenda. Therefore, the federal government bears an enormous responsibility as far as the preservation of land for wildlife is concerned (Libresco, Balantic, & Kipling, 2011).Lastly but more importantly, Land Trusts that operate in some parts of the United States have an equally huge responsibility in land preservation (Libresco, Balantic, & Kipling, 2011).

Although they may be engaged in the actual preservation of the environment, it is also worth noting that such Trusts ought to promote environmental conservation through public campaigns to stop unwarranted destruction of the environment (Environmental Law Institute, 2003). Perhaps forest fires top the list of their education agendas due to the rampant breakouts of forest fires in the Unites States, especially in California State (Benson et al., 2005). In conclusion, it is the responsibility of every stakeholder to ensure that the environment is protected for the flourishing of wildlife.

Particularly, land ought to be given more attention because it is the most abused component of the environment despite the fact that most wildlife species derive their livelihood from the land. It means that governments, Land Trusts, and the community at large ought to take the responsibility of preserving land.ReferencesBenson, D. E., Steinbach, D. W., Shelton, R., & Winn, J. F. (2005). Wildlife stewardship and recreation on private lands. College Station, Tex: Texas A&M University Press.Brewer, R. (2003). Conservancy: The land trust movement in America.

Lebanon, NH: Dartmouth College.Environmental Law Institute. (2003). Legal tools and incentives for private lands conservation in Latin America: Building models for success. Washington, DC: Environmental Law Institute.Gustanski, J. A., & Squires, R. H. (2000). Protecting the land: Conservation easements past, present, and future. Washington, D.C: Island Press.Libresco, A. S., Balantic, J., & Kipling, J. C. (2011). Every book is a social studies book: How to meet standards with picture books, K-6.

Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited.