Project "Reservation"

Project Description

Create and maintain a wildlife reserve.

May involve purchasing land, planting trees, digging ponds etc. Advice of an ecologist will be necessary to maximise utility to wildlife. Particular effort may be justified if the reserve can home endangered species.

Project Cost

A reasonable amount of money, and some physical labour, as significant start-up costs. Minimal cost once established.

Utility value

The value of life over death for the animals who will live there. Possibly some value in terms of reducing air pollution (but this is likely to be slight). Perhaps some value to human visitors to the reserve as entertainment or education - if human visitors are allowed! (Perhaps: "Nature Reserve" implies "Reserved for Nature" implies "Humans keep out!")

The value of this project is dependant on the reserve having time to become established and continue a considerably long while afterwards. The agent(s) of this project will therefore take care to ensure protection for the reserve continues after their own death(s). Perhaps a charitable foundation will be suitable for this purpose?*

Related Projects

Additional Notes

This project is perhaps better suited to the USA, Australia, and other countries where a low human population density would suggest a low land cost, rather than England or other high density area.

If humans are to be allowed freely into the reserve, then it may be much easier to acquire the funds in order to purchase the land: public donations may be received. Help with physical work may be available from conservation groups.

* Care must be taken if an existing charity is used for this purpose. One nature reserve, which was left to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds on the death of its owner, was sold by them to a developer who built a car-park on it!

1999.