When we think about the renewable resources of the planet, and the conditions, under which they either flourish or disappear, it becomes obvious that certain elements are necessary before effective conservation can take place. First, there must be a stable civil government, whose leaders' goals include maintenance of law and order and responsible stewardship of resources. This stewardship must be maintained through the oversight of effective honest law enforcement, with adequate personnel, a responsible court system, and a just structure of penalties for violation of environmental laws.

In those nations whose governments allow corruption of officials, or whose leaders otherwise have no interest in stewardship of resources for the good of the people and their environment, then disastrous results soon follow - poaching, unsustainable taking of wildlife with no law enforcement, no scientific authority to recommend sustainable use guidelines, and no respect for the rights of people to live with and through use of their own resources. Such is the case in Zimbabwe, where civil strife and an apparent total lack of wildlife law enforcement is contributing to the destruction of the populations of elephants, hippos, big cats, and every other form of wildlife that can be killed, captured, or sold on the black market. The resources of this once rich land are being rapidly destroyed as the population tries to live in the unimaginable horror of lawlessness and hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The basic essentials of resource conservation are absent in Zimbabwe, and the environmental effects of irresponsibility are spilling over into neighboring States, whose residents are dealing with fleeing herds of elephants, in farming areas that can not sustain them.

Other essentials that are vital to the success of resource conservation include adequate infrastructure for the human population - safe and adequate water and sewage facilities, health care, roads and electricity, and an adequate communications network. These are essentials for any growing human population before its leaders will spend money and effort on conservation of natural resources. Without that infrastructure, people suffer sickness, hunger, and the inability to conduct business essential to a healthy economy. An inadequate economy means widespread poverty, and with that, unsustainable use of wildlife and forest resources is inevitable, because people must have both food and fuel with which to live.

In the absence of modern infrastructure, people will first seek to feed and warm themselves, from day to day, before any higher goals may be conceived of or reached. The people of suburban India, whose most urgent needs include adequate and safe water supplies and waste disposal, should not be condemned for inadequate concern about their wildlife resources. They lead desperate lives of day to day existence. We can only hope that their government leaders can find ways to improve the vital infrastructure they need, before it is too late for the conservation of their land and water, wildlife and forests.

Those of us fortunate enough to live in societies with well-developed economies and infrastructure, responsible scientific authority, and adequate honest law enforcement, need to understand the down to earth problems that impede natural resource conservation, and help others to overcome them, instead of condemning them for their inability to manage their forests, wildlife, water, and other resources. IWMC urges understanding and support for those governments whose leaders are responsible, and who need help to accomplish all the goals of supporting their people and their environments.