Conservation refers to the careful and controlled use of natural resources for the purpose of extending the time they are available as well as retaining biodiversity. Conservation does not prevent the loss of plants, trees, land, water, or habitat; it simply slows the rate of degradation of these things. This new book explores aspects of conservation, particularly the conservation of plant life upon which ecosystems are built. Though students with an interest in ecology assume conservation is a worthwhile endeavor in sustaining the environment, conservation has had a rocky history. Conservation provides an overview of the successes and failures in striving to protect living natural resources that predate humans on their home continents. Chapters include: Forests and the Water Cycle; Analyzing Threats to Forests; Tropical Forest Preservation; Temperate and Boreal Forest Preservation; Desertification; Saving Riparian Habitats; and, Reducing Wood Waste.