• What problems do ecosystems currently face?

• What are strategies to prevent problems?

• Are these methods accomplishable?

• Can we restore original ecosystems?

• What will future ecosystems look like?

Presented by: Shane Bridges

• Problems that the ecosystems face

• Restoration and Prevention Methods

• Putting these methods into effect• Restoration Limitations• The Future

Deforestation Industrial

Development Overfishing Pollution Degradation

Deforestation: the removal or cutting down of trees.

More than half of the world's timber and 72% of paper is consumed by 22% of the world's population (the United States, Europe, and Japan).

Every hour, at least 4,500 acres of forest fall to chain saws, machetes, flames, or bulldozers.

Industrial Development: Development of factories for large-scale production of consumer goods.

These factories consume large amounts of economic resources and distribute pollutants into the environment.

Governmental guidelines and restrictions exist, but do little to stop introducing pollutants into the ozone layer.

Overfishing: catching too many fish for the system to support

http://overfishing.org/pages/what_is_overfishing.php

Over 25% of the worlds fish stocks are either overexploited or depleted

Pollution: the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort

Happens in the form of industries, littering, dumping, etc.

Degradation: the deterioration or depletion of resources

Can lead to the destruction of ecosystems and extinction of wildlife

Affects air, water, and soil

A return to original settings Can be done to certain extents > hard to recreate > not perfect recreations Environmental groups > ideas/strategies: some good,

some bad

Methods to prevent the loss or depletion of resources

• Use less • Recycle• Use alternatives

Environmental Groups• Worldwide - Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change (IPCC)• United Nations Environment Programme

(UNEP)• Earth System Governance Project• RegionalEuropean Environment Agency

(EEA)• Partnerships in Environmental Management

for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) Many strategies, many alternatives

Hard to recreate

What is the original?

Conflicts (how to)

Lack of effort Human need

What does the future look like?

Will we be able to improve ecosystems?

Can we maintain them better?

http://earthfirst.com/7-environmental-problems-that-are-worse-than-we-thought/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_environmental_organizations

http://overfishing.org/pages/why_is_overfishing_a_problem.php

http://www.facingthefuture.org/ServiceLearning/FastFactsQuickActions/Deforestation/tabid/182/Default.aspx