Sequence and Equilibrium in Destruction and Conservation of Natural Resources

One of the major problems of the Twentieth Century is the shrinkage of the natural resource base of communities, regions, and nations. Like many other problems of great social import, that of counteracting resource depletion and deterioration lies within no particular scholarly discipline, but transects many. Traditionally, geographers meet the problem most directly in dealing with the destructive, preservative, and meliorative effects of man on earth resources in specific areas. In the comparative study of those parts of the earth where resource destruction and conservation have been of critical importance, it becomes clear that certain sequences of destruction and renewal are repeated with sufficient frequency to justify their identification as types, and to permit generalizations regarding their occurrence and social significance. Likewise, types of equilibrium, i.e., levels at which resource depletion and renewal are in balance, can also be recognized. In the identification and discussion of these sequences and equilibrium levels, the attention is directed first to those involved in resource destruction.