In the last chapter of Rambunctious Garden, Marris lists seven different goals for conservation. The seven goals are to protect the right of other species, protect charismatic megafauna, slow the rate of extinction, protect genetic diversity, define and defend biodiversity, maximized ecosystem services, and protect the spiritual and aesthetic experience of nature. The goals that I believe are most important and would like to see accomplished are to protect genetic diversity and to protect the spiritual and aesthetic experience of nature.
Protecting genetic diversity is important because it is where the source of diversity in all life comes from. Even in a species, there are differences in the genetics of different populations. Genetic diversity also shows how different species have evolved over time. One of the examples given was that if we lost two species of three-toed sloths, we would lose 15 million years of evolution. Like with the other conservation goals, there are problems with this goal, the main one being that if the genes are more important than the actual animals, there is no need to keep them alive, like to breed in captivity or anything since you can just freeze tissue samples for the genes.
As Marris says, “we like the way nature looks, smells, and feels.” I definitely feel that way, and believe that is it important to preserve the spiritual and aesthetic experience of nature. I think it is really nice to be able to get away from all the business for a while and just look at and appreciate nature and to marvel at how truly amazing it is. She mentions how many people only allow themselves to be “moved or to find beautiful only that which we believe to be pristine,” but we can find beauty in all nature if we adjust out perception. I definitely agree with this and believe that we can find beauty in nature that has been man-made elements to it. It just like how Central Park isn’t completely natural and was developed by people. People still find it beautiful and visit there all the time. Even if there are cans and garbage on a piece of nature, such as in a forest or beach, the beauty of the area can be easily found. This goal would also appeal to many people since most people do enjoy nature and feel some connection to it.
Marris talks about many goals in the last chapter, all with their own pros and cons. There is no right way to go about conservation and different goals can and should be used for different areas. One thing is clear though, which is that conservation is needed. Since humans have changed and affected nature so much, we can’t go back, but we should instead focus and preserving what we have left and managing it better as a place for all species to live.
