What is over-harvesting?
Q: What is over-harvesting?
A: Over-harvesting is when more resources are taken from the land or sea than can be replaced. This includes extreme farming, grazing, fishing and using fresh water.
Q: How does over-harvesting harm nature?
A: Over-harvesting harms nature by destroying forests or wetlands which are hard to replace, damaging ecosystems and causing animal populations to drop and species to become extinct.
Q: What measures have been put in place to protect wildlife from over-harvesting?
A: Measures have been put in place such as only allowing fishing, shooting deer or birds at certain times of the year during mating season when they reproduce and lay eggs or have young. Areas of especial natural beauty or scientific interest are also protected. In the United Kingdom it is illegal to take bird eggs.
Q: What is the tragedy of the commons?
A: The tragedy of the commons refers to a situation where a few people gain but everyone shares in the cost due to overpopulation wanting land for other purposes resulting in destruction of natural resources like forests.
Q: How does overpopulation contribute to this tragedy?
A: Overpopulation contributes by wanting land for other purposes resulting in destruction of natural resources like forests which causes a few people gain but everyone shares in the cost due to this destruction.
Q: Is there any way that we can prevent this tragedy from happening?
A: Yes, one way we can prevent this tragedy from happening is by implementing conservation efforts such as protecting areas with special natural beauty or scientific interest and limiting activities such as fishing, shooting deer or birds at certain times of the year during mating season when they reproduce and lay eggs or have young.
