Conservation Mistakes

Article to come. For the time being, here is an illustrative example.

Mistakes in Conservation

Actions intended to promote conservation can easily be well-intentioned mistakes. So it is important to have a range of perspectives and look for unanticipated side effects.

Here are some examples from the history of the famous Mayan Hieroglyphic Stairway at Copan, Honduras. (1) When the Carnegie Institution excavated and "consolidated" it and left it exposed, they created an open stairway which became a waterfall, leading to extensive erosion. (2) A tent cover was later erected, which caused the stone to dry out completely, weakening the stone and leading to flaking. (3) Mold was then allowed to grow on the stairs, damaging the surface. (4) Mold was then removed, and the roots of the mold carried parts of the surface off with them. Every one of these steps was well intentioned but had unintended side-effects.