54 



deve 1 opmen t remains experimental, it is best to try new 

 approaches -- and risk failure -- on lands that have already 

 lost much of their conservation value. 



Environmental impacts of development can be mitigated, but not 

 el iminated 



There are environmental impacts associated with all 

 development activities. Attempts to eliminate these impacts 

 altogether through environmental purism will kill development. 

 Careful mitigation of these impacts is the key to optimal 

 strategies for sustainable development, along with balancing 

 more intensive production zones with comparable protection 

 zones, through long-term land use planning. 



Democratization should benefit nations' social, economic and 

 conservation systems in the long run, but the transition period may 

 place tremendous pressure on each 



The process of democratization in many African countries is 

 producing significant disturbance in social and economic 

 spheres. Where the process is interpreted as "open access" to 

 wild areas, public and/or communal lands -- which is already 

 occurring -- then significant negative impacts on biological 

 systems are likely to result. As northern countries encourage 

 democratization, therefore, there must be a simultaneous 

 strengthening of conservation systems and measures. Without 

 this, one priority (sound politics) will undermine another 

 ( conservat ion ) . 



Sound natural resource management is fundamental to sound 

 deve lopment 



Natural resources comprise the basic building blocks of all 

 development. Sustainable development, with maintenance of 

 options for future benefits, therefore requires careful 

 planning and use of these resources. Appropriate distinctions 

 in management strategies should be related to qualitatively 

 different kinds of resources, especially those which are non- 

 renewable (coal, petroleum, metals), semi-renewable (water, 

 soil), and renewable (many, but not all, biological species 

 and some communities). 



Conservation of biological diversity is an important component of 

 natural resource management 



Not all environments are biologically diverse. Naturally- 

 occurring ecosystems tend to be far more diverse than human- 

 modified systems, with tropical rain forests and coral reefs 

 among the richest of all. Functional examples of major- 

 ecosystems must be maintained at both the global and national 

 scales. Reasons for this include local subsistence use 



