Resource+depletion



Resource Depletion is an [|economic] term referring to the exhaustion of raw materials within a region. [|Resources] are commonly divided between [|renewable resources] and [|non-renewable resources]. Use of either of these forms of resources beyond their rate of replacement is considered to be resource depletion. Resource depletion is most commonly used in reference to [|farming], [|fishing] , [|mining] , and [|fossil fuels]. A good example of resource depletion is the growing use of petroleum, which is a finite resource which takes millions of years to create. At the rate we are using up petroleum we could be facing depletion within the next five generations. With growing population and land degradation we are also facing a scarcity of food which can not be produced fast enough to feed the entire population. In the 1950s a Texas geologist named M. King Hubbert developed the Hubbert curve, which has become the primary analytical tool for understanding and predicting the yield of an oil field, from its discovery to its exploitation, depletion and abandonment. Then he used the curve to predict the peak in US oil production, then world production by analyzing all the oil fields.

In regards to banff national park the mountain pine beetle is proving to be a serious threat of the parks forests. The mountain pine beetle is a quick spreading insect that attacks and kills trees from the inside out. Alberta's first know outbreak occured in 1940 devastating 4000 half of forested land in Banff national park. Another major outbreak occured in the 1970's effecting the southeastern part of Banff. Currently the mountain pine beetle is continuing to spread into the park causing more concern over methods to protect the parks forests against this threat. In addition, the expansion of certain tourist attractions and hotels require the clearing of land, this removes some of the aesthetic value of the park.

Banff national park has seen a decline in resources over the years. This resource depletion is due to human development. The park is a huge tourist drawn, and the importance of facilitating park tourism and business as taken the fore front in the parks politics. Although a vast park, the idea of a park is the conservation of all its resources. It seems management has put economic revenue over ecological protection, being hypocritical in their actions as park conservationists.