Toward a culture of biodiversity conservation

This article is intended as a synthesis of the ideas, previously presented by the author, on the conservation ofbiodiversity as well as new proposals, heretofore unpublished. The author focusses on the central theme that ineach society the ideas held about the use and the conservation of biodiversity and, in more general terms, aboutnature are an integral part of the culture of that society, and as such cannot be separated from its ethical andaesthetic values, or from its socio-economic reality.Three broad approaches to the protection and use of species richness are considered: rustic use, theestablishment of protected areas and land use policy. Three types of protected areas are examined: hunting orgame reserves, national parks and biosphere reserves. These conservation strategies appeared at different pointsin history in response to different needs and are therefore not mutually exclusive. They share the goal of protectingthe exceptional richness of animals and plants within a delimited area. The problems facing these approaches,given the increasing evidence of spatial exchange of species, i.e. beta diversity, are examined. A single area is notenough to protect beta diversity, even when it is a big one. In response to this dilemma a completely newalternative is proposed, one that is complementary to the three currently in use – that of archipelago reserves.