Conservation, Preservation, and Reforestation: Exploring the Differences

Conserving, Preserving, And Reforesting Nashville

The terms “conservation” and “preservation” are sometimes used interchangeably, and either of these strategies may or may not include reforestation efforts. In this article, we’ll explore the similarities and differences between the three concepts, as well as how these different approaches to environmental stewardship are carried out in Nashville by several organizations. Throughout, we’ll see how the Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ activities span all three realms.

Differentiating Concepts

Conservation, preservation, and reforestation are distinct activities, but in everyday speech—and even in some official situations—they may be used loosely and overlap. For clarity, the differences between conservation, preservation, and reforestation are:

• Conservation - Actively managing natural resources for productivity (such as ecosystem services or commercial products)

• Preservation - Passively managing natural resources for long-term existence value (like parks, arboretums, and forest preserves)

• Reforestation - Planting new trees with the long-term goal of preservation or conservation after planting

Now let’s dig a bit deeper into these concepts.

Conservation

Organizations and businesses, large or small, can actively manage natural resources under their responsibility by employing conservation strategies to maintain them in good and productive condition for long-term benefits.

Conservation organizations actively manage environments to promote the presence of certain species or ecosystems of flora and fauna. Organizations such as NTCC, the Nashville Tree Foundation, Root Nashville, Nashville Wildlife Conservation, and many other private, non-profit, and public groups are dedicated to supporting the natural environment in our city and across Tennessee.

On the other hand, businesses can manage the cycles of growth, cutting, and replanting for timber harvest in a way that leaves a percentage of standing trees up to certain ages to allow for the generation of ecosystem services, such as wildlife habitat and air filtration, in addition to the production of useful wood. The Forest Stewardship Council, for example, defines managerial standards for responsible forestry in woodlands, and it offers a certification to qualify the practices of many forest-based businesses.

Preservation 

Preserved wilderness areas are overseen with some management (such as monitoring, administration, and appropriate amounts of care), but with more allowance for nature to take the lead. Parks and forest preserves, as well as some private landholders (organizations and residents alike), make the decision to passively manage their environments as naturally as possible for ecosystem quality. 

The goal of preservation is existence, the value of which benefits ecosystems and communities with ecosystem service production, recreational enjoyment, wildlife habitat, and educational opportunities. Natchez Trace, Percy Warner Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are just a few examples of nature preservation in and around Nashville.

In Nashville neighborhoods, the Metro Historic & Specimen Trees Program helps protect mature trees on residential properties. To help raise the number of trees standing in Nashville, NTCC has planted trees in Shelby Park, Lockeland Springs Park, and Shelby Avenue Arboretum, among other locations across the city

Reforestation

Reforestation can be practiced by anyone who manages land on which to plant trees, particularly in places where there used to be more trees than at present. Reforestation is also practiced whenever a tree that had to be removed due to its age or condition is replaced. In deforested areas that have been cleared of trees, whether by a land use decision or by a natural disaster, property owners (public or private) can plant and care for trees in those places with the goal of improving the landscape and strengthening the local environment. 
Conservation and preservation plans might include reforestation projects depending on the need for restoration. Conversely, a reforestation plan usually aims to manage the newly planted trees for productivity (conservation) or for their existence value (preservation). 

NTCC’s Operation Overstory was created in response to the March 2020 tornado to support households affected by natural disasters in Davidson County, restoring their lost tree canopy and re-establishing the productive local ecosystem.

Root Nashville, as another example, is a campaign led by Metro Nashville and the Cumberland River Compact with the goal of planting 500,000 trees across Davidson County by 2050. The Cumberland River Compact, as a larger project, includes both reforestation and watershed management goals in partnership with stakeholders and land stewards to care for the Cumberland River and its region. 

Integral Ecosystems

Area-wide conservation, preservation, and reforestation all help maintain integral ecosystems: continuous environments that allow a flow of wildlife within green spaces. The more space plants are given, the more ecosystem services they can perform. Balancing civilization against the wilderness and vice versa is a continuous negotiation. 

Each property in and around Nashville contributes to the city’s wider ecosystem, which actually helps distribute the responsibility of caring for our environment among residents. Monitoring and care are essential for environmental maintenance, and those who are physically closest to any tree, garden, or other ecosystem feature are the best candidates for stewards of that place. Of course, all residents can be mindful action-takers when it comes to the choices we make about engaging with and caring for our environment at large.

Canopy Maintenance in Nashville

The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ mission to promote, preserve, protect, and plant the tree canopy in Davidson County is grounded in conservation, preservation, and reforestation, and we see our Nashville trees as an integral part of the built environment. Green infrastructure conditions our neighborhood environments and contributes to local quality of life, and it’s important that these trees stand for a good long time.

Preservation of existing trees is fundamental to this strategy, as is reforesting treeless areas. Our urban trees perform vital ecosystem services that sustain our city; these are working trees, and they make up the powerful canopy that we enjoy and depend on every day! It’s our purpose to contribute to the on-the-ground work to help ensure that Nashville’s canopy is well cared for over the long term.

Help us reforest and preserve Nashville’s canopy by planting and caring for trees on your property. Purchase your next tree(s) through NTCC’s tree sale, and consider participating in NTCC’s volunteer activities to plant and care for trees around the city. Our work is enabled by the kind donations of residents and local businesses, which allows us to help maintain local trees and spread awareness of how every resident has a role to play in the bigger project of canopy care. Sign up for our email newsletter or check out our Linktree to stay connected and involved!