The Fnrm:T Y4a%_#q ion .I4 n Cetonservatio 
 
 
                             Aldo Lopold 
 
        The conseoration movement may be Wined as a realizatien by the 
 
public that it has an Interest in the mnner in which land resources are used,

 
and that the free and unguided plal of economic forces often subverts that

 
interest. 
 
        The first response to this realisation was a series of coneervation

 
law. These have bee   of three kins: (1) prohibitions *" compulsious,

 
(2) subsidies, and (3) attempts to develop profit motives as a bais for 
 
better land practice. 
 
        Compulsions have failed sigfally and completely, as wrA to be expected.

 
        Prohiitions end subsidies have been mildly beneficial insome instances.

 
        Profit motives have often been msceesfully developed, especially

 
thr*u4  agricultural extension wok. It is a coospicuous fact, however, that

 
their success has been confined largely to hiA-gpado land in the early stages

 
of deteriorlation. Poor land, or land in an advanced stage of deterioration
by 
 
erosion, grasing, or fir., cannot be profitably restored by individual eoners.

 
It to cheaper to abandon it and buy elsewhere, and this will ontinue to be
trw 
 
as long as we maintain a favorable ratio between population and land area.

 
        At present we have a large nd increasing acreage in advanced stages
of 
 
deterioration. By a poculiar coincidence, the public realisation of this
fact 
 
happened to coincide with: 
 
           (1) Te most ae&t #tage of unsalable surplus in staple crops.

 
           (2) A public daand for ree1aation and oaservatioa area. 
 
           (3) Acute uamelomoent. 
 
           () A public realiation that abandoned farm   not only often 
 
               continue to deteriorate, but in so doing damae other lan*,

 
               as well as rivers, highways, reservoIrs, and other ublio utilities.