"Some people claim that a nation's government should preserve its wilderness areas in their natural state. Others argue that these areas should be developed for potential economic gain." - Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely alig

Organisations like WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and GAIA (Global Action in the Interest of Animals, a Belgian organization) don't always agree, but one point they can't stress enough is that a nation's government should preserve its wilderness areas in their natural states. However this belief is generally regarded as containing a lot of truth, it evokes some criticism by economical minded people. But a thriving economy can not outweigh the pluspoints a good wildlife can provide.

To begin with, a preservation of wilderness areas means that a diversity in fauna and flora is kept alive. This diversity is important for keeping up a florishing ecosystem. If a few species or plants become extinct, it may cause a butterfly effect, affecting a small region near the area or even a large percentage of living species.

Another point of criticism is that a wilderness area also has economical functions. First of all, the roots keep the earth together and prevent the region from erosion. As a surplus these roots also suck up water, which keeps the region from flooding. Secondly, plants help to filter carbondioxide out of the air and replace it by oxygen which is what we need to keep ourselves alive. The countries that want to develop these areas for economical gain, most of the time are industrialised nations who have still a lot of work to do to reach their Kyoto-norm. However by leaving wilderness areas intact, one is again a step closer to reaching this notorious norm.

Economic gain on the other hand could be advantageous for a nation as well, helping people to get jobs and providing a strong economy to the country. In times where the economical crisis is still freshly on our mind, this option is a tempting one. Although the advantages can easiliy be seen, one should however resist this temptation and look at the potential financial and ecological consequences this might make.

Therefore the unified protest against the developing of wilderness areas for economical gain by WWF and GAIA should get more support to persuade the government to undertake action and keep the wilderness alive.