Conservation encompasses all those actions taken toward the long-term preservation of cultural heritage. Activities include examination, documentation, treatment, and preventive care, supported by research and education.
Preserving cultural heritage is essential, but it also presents complex challenges. Conservators embrace these challenges with passion, commitment and dedication.
What is a Conservator?
A conservator:
- Saves our cultural heritage physically. They are unique in the wider preservation fieldfor the particular expert hands-on technical and decision-making skills they bring to preserving andcaring for andour tangible history.
- Trains in a graduate conservation programor sometimes a lengthy apprenticeship with more experienced senior colleagues. While they take many paths tobecoming a conservator, they all have extensive training in art history, science, studio art, and related fields.
- Specializes in a particular kind of material.Giventhe increasingly technical nature of modern conservation, they often focus on a specific type of materialcalled their “specialty,” becoming experts in that subject.
- Adheres to a strict ethical practice in their work. They assume certain obligations to cultural heritage, its stewards, the profession, and society as a whole. Inmuch of what they do, they rely on our Code of Ethicsas theirguide.
- Works in a variety of settingslike cultural institutions, research labs, andprivate practicesand has various titles and responsibilities.
- Hears their job called many different things, such as “art restorer” or "art doctor." Conservator is the preferred term in the United States. Professionals in other countries do identify as “art restorers,” but this is often due to differences in language. In French, for example, conservateur actually means curator, and restaurateur means "conservator." "Conservationists" are typically the professionals who focus on environmental conservation.
Conservators make up a large part of the membership of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), the national membership association for conservation professionals.AIC and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) play an important role in the field of conservation, working alongside allied organizations.
Learn more about conservation! Find answers tofrequently asked questions, learn about conservation terminology, and explore conservation in social media.
FAQs
Conservation is the careful maintenance and upkeep of a natural resource to prevent it from disappearing. A natural resource is the physical supply of something that exists in nature, such as soil, water, air, plants, animals, and energy.
Which is the best definition of conservation? ›
The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of natural environments and the ecological communities that inhabit them. Conservation is generally held to include the management of human use of natural resources for current public benefit and sustainable social and economic utilization.
What is conservation explained simply? ›
Conservation is generally associated with the protection of natural resources, while preservation is associated with the protection of buildings, objects, and landscapes. Put simply conservation seeks the proper use of nature, while preservation seeks protection of nature from use.
What is conservation and an example? ›
We conserve endangered species through outlawing hunting and protecting species habitat, and we conserve biodiverse spaces by setting up parks and restricting access to those areas. These are just examples, as there are many ways to conserve species and biodiverse areas.
What are the 3 types of conservation? ›
Ans-:Environmental Conservation, Animal conservation, Marine Conservation, Human Conservation are the four types of conservation.
What is a simple word for conservation? ›
Synonyms. preservation. the preservation of buildings of historic interest. saving. protection.
Is conservation a good thing? ›
The most obvious reason for conservation is to protect wildlife and promote biodiversity. Protecting wildlife and preserving it for future generations also means that the animals we love don't become a distant memory. And we can maintain a healthy and functional ecosystem.
What is one conservation? ›
One Conservation is defined as an interconnection between ex situ and in situ conservation plans, anthropic actions on the environment (sustainability), and research in different areas that encompass conservation.
What is conservation for kids? ›
Conservation is the protection of things found in nature. It requires the sensible use of all Earth's natural resources: water, soil, minerals, wildlife, and forests. People who care about conservation try to preserve natural resources so they will still be around in the future.
What is basic conservation? ›
Conservation laws as fundamental laws of nature
In general, the total quantity of the property governed by that law remains unchanged during physical processes. With respect to classical physics, conservation laws include conservation of energy, mass (or matter), linear momentum, angular momentum, and electric charge.
a) the preservation and protection of land and other natural resources for enjoyment by future generations.
What is conservation and why is it important? ›
Wildlife conservation is the preservation and protection of animals, plants, and their habitats. By conserving wildlife, we're ensuring that future generations can enjoy our natural world and the incredible species that live within it.
What is conservation one word answer? ›
1. : a careful preservation and protection of something. especially : planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect.
What is the idea of conservation? ›
conservation, study of the loss of Earth's biological diversity and the ways this loss can be prevented. Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is the variety of life either in a particular place or on the entire planet Earth, including its ecosystems, species, populations, and genes.
What is conservation very short? ›
Conservation is planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect of the resource. It may more specifically be used for preserving biodiversity, environment or natural resources. It is done so that future generations can also have the advantage of the resources.
What does it mean to understand conservation? ›
Conservation, in child development, is a logical thinking ability first studied by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget. In short, being able to conserve means knowing that a quantity doesn't change if it's been altered (by being stretched, cut, elongated, spread out, shrunk, poured, etc).
What are the 5 types of conservation? ›
Conservation
- Conservation of Soil and Land.
- Water and Energy Conservation.
- Biodiversity and Environment Conservation.
- Conservation of other Natural Resources.
- Water Conservation at Different Levels.
- Energy Conservation.
Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources. The process of conservation refers to the proper management of the natural resources in order to meet the demands of the growing population.
What conservation can mean using? ›
conservation | Business English
the process of using water, gas, electricity, etc. carefully in order not to waste it: The main objectives are the conservation of materials and energy in support of the sustainable development program.
