To conserve habitat for wild species and prevent their extinction or reduction in range is a priority of a great many groups that cannot be easily characterized in terms of any one ideology. See conservation for the view that includes energy and materials - this is only about wild species' habitat.

The conservation movement seeks to do this for a variety of reasons including the continuation of recreational hunting, fishing, hiking and birdwatching.

The ecology movement seeks to do this since it sees wild species as having the right to exist for their own sake. Since each species competes most intensely with its own kind, they argue, any cessation of competition between humans must be presaged by cessation of competition between humans and other species, and a recognition of their peaceful coexistence. This goal is shared by some elements of the peace movement and the green movement that is the intersection of them both.

The environmental movement shares some of these motivations, but focuses on human health concerns, wellness, and the environmental health impact of disputed ecosystems that have fallen into poor ecological health. It is the only movement to be concerned about nature's services as rendered to humans from the natural capital.

Historically, there has been association between conservation movement and right-wing politics, ecology and peace movement and green politics, and environmental movement and left-wing politics, but these lines are now quite blurred.

Over half of the Earth's land surface has been transformed due to human activity, resulting in drastic deforestation, erosion and loss of topsoil, extinction and such. Almost no terrestrial ecoregion, of 867 on Earth, has been spared from the onslaught of human consumption.

The arguments to conserve habitat are now found at every level from local religious figures to United Nations agencies. It is not really possible to ascribe any particular motivation to those who express this goal. It has become more common to ask who does not share this goal, and what use they seek to put converted habitat to.

See also:

• increase biodiversity
• wildlife crossing