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The management of such natural areas would, as implied above, 

 vary with the type, use and value of the area in question. The 

 uses and values are several, and include: 



E sthetic enjoyment . There is ultimately an esthetic value 

 that urges the preservation of the best examples of the various 

 types of plant and animal communities. Beyond that, one can say 

 without being didactic that preserving such examples can only 

 improve the national conscience and thus help prevent the mindless 

 destruction of this part of our national heritage for future 

 generations. 



Baseline and long-term monitoring of environmental quality . 

 Natural areas allow collection of essential baseline monitoring 

 data to study trends and changes in populations, levels of 

 pollutants and the effects of man's disturbance. 



Study of the structure and function of natural ecosystems . 

 Rational decisions on development and management of our environ- 

 ment depend on theoretical understanding of the natural environ- 

 ment. Integrated systems analysis and development of ecological 

 models require detailed studies of natural areas to develop a 

 predictive ecological capability. 



Preservation of germ plasm reservoirs, gene pools, and 

 endangered species . Natural areas preserve the genetic stock of 

 organisms needed by man for new or improved strains of economic 

 and survival value to society in agriculture, horticulture, 

 silviculture, mariculture, medicine and other areas. Rapid 



