Harvesting wild resources sustainably

Harvesting wilderness resources

Description

Harvesting wild resources sustainably involves managing the extraction of plants, animals, and other natural materials to ensure their populations and ecosystems remain healthy and productive over time. This strategy includes setting harvest limits, monitoring populations, protecting habitats, and enforcing regulations to prevent overexploitation. Its practical intent is to balance human needs with conservation, remedying problems such as resource depletion, habitat loss, and biodiversity decline while supporting long-term livelihoods and ecosystem services.

Context

In most countries, and significantly in those containing high natural resources to population densities, wild species and uncultivated ecosystems are an important resource. With increasing population pressures, however, such harvesting may need to be regulated if it is to be sustainable.