Environmental conservation and preservation has been one of the major issues under discussion in the last few decades. Major conferences like the G8 summit have been discussing methods of coming up with different proposals on how to conserve the environment with the participation of every nation
Man has been the major cause of the environmental problems that are being experienced in the present times. Global warming and climate change all have their roots on the careless and destructive nature of mankind without due consideration of the consequences of his actions on the future generations.
A number of initiatives at both regional and local levels have been undertaken by corporates, nations and at individual levels towards this end. Many companies have virtually ‘gone green’ while others have established foundations to help in environmental conservation through creation of awareness and financial assistance.
At a personal level, there are many things that one can do to preserve the environment and create awareness to the society on the importance of the same. Below is a personal plan of action on what I would do at a personal level to preserve and sustain the environment.
Trees not only have aesthetic value but also have many other benefits. I intend to champion an initiative for the planting of trees on the river banks and on all public land in my location. I actually intend to plant about 5000. I will thus engage the support of other like minded youth in the implementation of this project.
I have lived in my location for many years. In those days, trees surrounded the whole place and issues like dusty air, cutting of the trees, unclean drinking water issues were un heard of. The recent years have however seen the wanton cutting down of trees, destruction of river banks and other forms of human interferences. The purpose of this project is to preserve the environment and restore sanity amongst the folks by creating awareness on the importance of environmental preservation in every day life.
Goals to be accomplished
This plan intends to achieve the following goals.
Sensitizing the people on the importance of environmental conservation and preservation; once sensitized the people will develop a dire interest towards the conservation of the environment. Comprehending the importance of conservation, they will have a positive approach in the mechanisms which will be employed in the conservation of the environment.
To attain sustainable environmental conservation at the most cost effective means available.
To realize the benefits of environmental conservation in my area as part of a wider initiative
Wide variety of advantages will be gained from the whole objective of conserving the environment. Water catchment areas will be preserved thus availability of clean drinking water to the society. There will be reduced cases in the diseases associated with unclean water. Appealing scenery will develop from the whole project of conservation of the environment.
What I shall do to achieve these goals
To expeditiously achieve these goals a lot needs to be done .I intend to mobilize the youth in my area and enlighten them about the agenda. I will educate them about the benefits they are going to get after conserving the environment. I will initiate a motivational mechanism based on the whole agenda of conservation of the environment and ensure that the whole group will work towards making the agenda a success.
Creating awareness to the society on the importance of environmental conservation- I want to inform the people that their careless actions will cost them dearly. Every careless action that they do today will have negative impact on the environment in the future generation. Felling of trees without planting others for replacement will affect the water catchment areas in a negative manner. Cultivating along the water catchment areas will result to the drying of the water blocks thus unavailability of water for consumption. The end result in the mishandling of the environment will have drastic negative effects on the climate of the area having such a greater negative impact to the future generation.
To reverse the situation an initiative to grow seedlings and supplying them to the greatest hit areas through the help of the youths. This will reduce the effect of deforestation in these areas. In ensuring greater protection of these trees from animal and human destruction or interference, I intend to construct a fence around the regions where the trees will be planted to keep off animals and human interference. Also I have a plan of allocating every youth a certain number of trees which will be under there care and whoever does his job perfectly then he or she will receive a reward as an appreciation .These will definitely boost the morale of the youth to do the job in a right way.
Benefits to the environment
Aesthetic value
The general look of the environment will be appealing and beautiful. This will definitely bring about good scenery.
Preservation of Water catchment areas
On conserving the environment drying of water springs will be prevented. Water table will also rise and water will be readily available for consumption purposes and also for irrigation purposes.
Trees will be of greater benefit since the normal breeze of trees makes people healthy. Fresh air free from dust since it will be purified by the trees will be available because of the transformed environment.
Rainfall catchment
Trees will attract rainfall and change the climatic conditions of the area. These will enable people practice agricultural activities in the area because conditions will be highly favorable.
Time line for the implementation of these steps
This project will be initiated in a period of three years;
Year 1
The first year will be to sensitize the community a bout the project. This will be made possible through the organization of seminars, open public rallies and in local schools through the young children.
Year 2
Here, the nursery management and tree planting will be commenced. The nurseries will be distributed all over the region affected with the drought.
Year 3
This will be the monitoring year; there will be evaluation and objective deviation supervision of the project. At the end of this year, the project will be commissioned with the help of other stakeholders to be a life time project.
Measuring the progress
The measure of progress can be done in a number of ways. This includes;
There will be monitoring the number of people who have stopped farming around the river bank and have initiated tree planting. Stopping the practice of agriculture around the banks will give room for the planting of trees, the more the number of people who stop the practice the bigger the land that will be available for the planting of the trees.
There will be assessment of the number of people that will be planting trees in this area. The higher the number of people that will accept to plant trees the more the land that will be under conservation thus conserving the environment.
The measure of how people will be preserving the already planted tress, if a greater number will conserve the trees planted the better the progress of conservation of the environment. This protection will be on how people will prevent the destruction and interference of the trees from human and animals the better the progress.
The Rate of survival of the trees will also measure the progress of the plan. The higher the rate of survival of the trees the higher the progress of the whole plan of environment conservation the greater the success of the project.
Support material that will be helpful
Funds for the purchase of seedlings and for facilitating the plan will be required. Several sources of income will be required to make the plan a success.
Human involvement which is readily available will be needed. Mobilizing the youth and the general society to help facilitate the plan is required.
Cooperation of the people and their goodwill will be highly appreciated.
Barriers and how to overcome them
Lack of cooperation; People might not be willing to have the place transformed. Such people will need a lot of sensitization that they may cooperate.
Inadequate resources that will slow the facilitation of the plan, in such a situation I can look for the resources from donors.
Poverty that will result to people cutting down trees to get money to meet the basic needs .alternative sources of income will be advocated so as to make the whole plan a success.
References
Ghosh, A. (2008). Environmental conservation: challenges & actions. New York: APH Publishing.
H, P. (2007). Conservation and the consumer: understanding environmental concern. Yales: Routledge.
John Schelhas, M. J. (2008). Saving forests, protecting people?: environmental conservation in Central America. London: Rowman Altamira.
T, C. A. (2005). Economics of environmental conservation: Volume 1 of Developments in environmental economics. Chicago: Edward Elgar Publishing.
T.W., R. (2010). Environmental science towards a sustainable future. New York: Prentice publishers.
