Preservationist
Encyclopedia
Preservationist is generally understood to mean historic preservationist: one who advocates to preserve architecturally or historically significant buildings, structures, objects or sites from demolition or degradation. Historic preservation usually refers to the preservation of the built environment, not to preservation of, for instance, primeval forests or wilderness.
s are called language preservationists.
Preservationist is also sometimes used in the natural environmentalist
field, but while the natural environment conservationist
movements preserve ecosystem
s and the natural environment
, this movement is widely known as conservation
or environmentalism
.
Preservationism has been defined by Richard Heinberg
in his book Powerdown: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World as distinguishing survivalist groups who wish merely to survive a collapse of civilization from preservationist communities who wish to preserve as much of human culture as is possible in the event of collapse.
Other uses of the term
Persons who work to preserve ancient or endangered languageEndangered language
An endangered language is a language that is at risk of falling out of use. If it loses all its native speakers, it becomes a dead language. If eventually no one speaks the language at all it becomes an "extinct language"....
s are called language preservationists.
Language Preservation
Language preservation is the effort to prevent languages from becoming unknown. A language is at risk of being lost when it no longer is taught to younger generations, while fluent speakers of the language die....
- Clarification: Ethnologue, a reference work published by SIL InternationalSIL InternationalSIL International is a U.S.-based, worldwide, Christian non-profit organization, whose main purpose is to study, develop and document languages, especially those that are lesser-known, in order to expand linguistic knowledge, promote literacy, translate the Christian Bible into local languages,...
, has cataloged the world’s known living languages, and it estimates that 417 languages are on the verge of extinction.
Preservationist is also sometimes used in the natural environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
field, but while the natural environment conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
movements preserve ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
s and the natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, this movement is widely known as conservation
Conservation ethic
Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to...
or environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
.
- Clarification: A key difference between the Preservationist and ConservationistConservationistConservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
environmentalistEnvironmentalistAn environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
schools is this: Preservationists view the environment as having intrinsic value that should be preserved by making as little change to it as possible. Conservationists view the environment as having instrumental value that can be of help to people, and generally accept Gifford PinchotGifford PinchotGifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...
's notion of sustainable yieldSustainable yieldThe sustainable yield of natural capital is the ecological yield that can be extracted without reducing the base of capital itself, i.e. the surplus required to maintain ecosystem services at the same or increasing level over time. This yield usually varies over time with the needs of the...
: that man can harvest some forest or animal products from a natural environment on a regular basis without compromising the long-health of the ecosystem.
Preservationism has been defined by Richard Heinberg
Richard Heinberg
Richard Heinberg is an American journalist and educator who has written extensively on energy, economic, and ecological issues, including oil depletion. He is the author of ten books...
in his book Powerdown: Options and Actions for a Post-Carbon World as distinguishing survivalist groups who wish merely to survive a collapse of civilization from preservationist communities who wish to preserve as much of human culture as is possible in the event of collapse.
- Clarification: The idea of preservationist communities is part of a broader strategy in which individuals achieve independence from the centralized power grid, forming sustainable communities that could provide mutual support in the event of critical depletion of non-renewable resources.
Notable historic preservationists
Some of the notable historic preservationists who are or have been advocates for the protection of the built environment include:- Michael Henry Adams (American, Harlem historian, writer, activist)
- Ann Pamela CunninghamAnn Pamela CunninghamAnn Pamela Cunningham is credited with saving George Washington's beloved home Mount Vernon from ruin and neglect. In a letter to Ann Pamela, Cunningham's mother described the crumbling condition of the estate as she saw it in 1853 while on a steamship heading down the Potomac River...
(1816–1875) American pioneering activist) - James Marston FitchJames Marston FitchJames Marston Fitch was an architect and a Preservationist, one of the founders of the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University in 1964. He was a member of the faculty there from 1954 to 1977, and received an honorary Litt.D. in 1980...
(1909–2000) American architect, teacher, activist) - Margot GayleMargot GayleMargot McCoy Gayle was an American historic preservationist and author who helped save the Victorian cast-iron architecture in New York City's SoHo district.-Life and career:...
(1908–2008) American journalist, activist) - Jane JacobsJane JacobsJane Jacobs, was an American-Canadian writer and activist with primary interest in communities and urban planning and decay. She is best known for The Death and Life of Great American Cities , a powerful critique of the urban renewal policies of the 1950s in the United States...
(1916–2006) American-Canadian writer, activist) - Carolyn KentCarolyn KentCarolyn Wade Cassady Kent was an American historical preservationist and activist, who lived most of her life in New York City on Riverside Drive, one block west of her alma mater Columbia University...
(1935–2009) American, Upper Manhattan activist) - Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of WalesPrince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
(British activist) - Jacqueline Kennedy OnassisJacqueline Kennedy OnassisJacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
(1924–1994) American activist, writer) - W. Brown Morton III (American governmental and international historian, writer, activist)
- William J. Murtagh( American governmental historian, writer)
- Lee H. Nelson (1927–1994) American governmental administrator, writer, teacher)
- Charles E. PetersonCharles E. PetersonCharles Emil Peterson is widely considered to be a seminal figure in professionalizing the practice of historic preservation in the United States...
(1906–2004) American seminal activist) - Halina Rosenthal (1918–1991) American activist, Upper East Side of Manhattan)
- George Sheldon (1818–1916) American Senator, farmer, writer)
- Arlene Simon (American activist, Upper West Side of Manhattan)
- John RuskinJohn RuskinJohn Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
(1819-20-1900) British art critic, watercolorist, social thinker, philanthropist) - Eugène Viollet-le-DucEugène Viollet-le-DucEugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc was a French architect and theorist, famous for his interpretive "restorations" of medieval buildings. Born in Paris, he was a major Gothic Revival architect.-Early years:...
(1814–1879) French architect, theorist) - Walter Muir WhitehillWalter Muir WhitehillWalter Muir Whitehill was an author, historian and the Director and Librarian of the Boston Athenaeum from 1946 to 1973. He was also editor for publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts from 1946 to 1978. From 1951 to 1972 Whitehill was a professor at Harvard University.Whitehill's...
(1908–2008) American author, historian)
Notable environmentalists
- See List of environmentalists
See also
- Historic preservationHistoric preservationHistoric preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
- Historic preservation in New YorkHistoric preservation in New YorkHistoric preservation in New York is activity undertaken to conserve older buildings, ships, landscapes and other objects of cultural importance in New York in ways that allow them to communicate meaningfully about past practices, events, and people....
- Language preservationLanguage PreservationLanguage preservation is the effort to prevent languages from becoming unknown. A language is at risk of being lost when it no longer is taught to younger generations, while fluent speakers of the language die....
- ConservationistConservationistConservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
- EnvironmentalistEnvironmentalistAn environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
- EnvironmentalismEnvironmentalismEnvironmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...