T.E. Langford

The water battle: Human behaviour, wildlife conservation and the long‐term future

Considering that fresh water is such a vital component of living organisms, there is relatively little of it available on the planet. Further, at any one point and at any one time there appears to be either too little or too much. Drought and flood alternate in the news every year, sometimes in one region over a few months, sometimes occurring simultaneously in different regions. As a species Homo sapiens is engaged in a continuous and unremitting battle either for or against water. Many of the methods used to provide, control and use water actually compound the problems for humans and have devastating effects on other species and ecosystems in many parts of the world including Britain. From the ecological conservationist view Homo sapiens has no more right to water than any other species, though this may not be the view of the humanitarian or the purist ecologist. The technical ingenuity shown by human populations to provide and control water has not been matched by long‐term strategies of use or conserv...