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Abstract
Modern nature conservation is a product of post-Enlightenment modernity; I explore
the heterogeneity of its conceptual and ideological background. The 19th century legacy
comprises concern over human-caused extinctions; protests against excessive hunting
and cruelty toward animals; utilitarian care for natural resources; and romantic sensibility
concerning the value of nature for human health and spirituality. The 20th century
added into conservation thinking increasing consciousness about human biospheric dependence;
efforts to identify appropriate conservation targets; and most recently concern over
the loss of biodiversity. The politics of nature conservation has taken shape within
the framework of politics of nature, that is, choices vis-á-vis nature that have been
made either as deliberate decisions on resource use or as side-effects of subsistence
practices of various types. Because of tensions and conflicts with alternative ways
of using nature, formulating realistic conservation policies has been a complicated
task. Problems and uncertainties emerge: pursuing material aspirations of the current
world society will necessarily bring about damage to ecological systems of the Earth.
The way forward is to identify feasible alternatives in the midst of the tensions
and ambiguities that arise, and to open up space for carrying through conservation
initiatives.