Why the distinction?
The difference between these two terms and the different subsets of natural resource protection that they represent is frequently misunderstood and, often, completely overlooked. Preservationists advocate protection through reserves of "untouched" wilderness whereas conservationists endorse "wise use" of natural resources and areas by humans.
The two subsets of natural resource protection first became clear in the early 1900s in the American West. For generations, the land to the West of the Mississippi had remained largely wild and undisturbed compared to the increasingly crowded cities of the East coast. However, as cities expanded and human populations continued to rise, the demand for natural resources and land for development also rose. Former wilderness areas began to disappear and entire ecosystems were swallowed by the hunger of the growing West. Two factions of environmental advocates emerged; the preservationists led by John Muir, and the conservationists by Gifford Pinchot.
