Conservation management is the wise use of the earth's resources by humanity. The term conservation came into use in the late 19th century and referred to the management, mainly for economic reasons, of such valuable natural resources as timber, fish, game, topsoil, pastureland, and minerals, and also to the preservation of forests, wildlife, parkland, wilderness, and watershed areas. In recent years the science of ecology has clarified the workings of the complex interrelationships among humans, other animals, plants, and the physical environment. At the same time burgeoning population and industry and the ensuing pollution have demonstrated how easily delicately balanced ecological relationships can be disrupted producing air pollution, water pollution and solid waste.

Conservation of natural resources is therefore now usually embraced in the broader conception of 'green living'; conserving the Earth itself by protecting its capacity for self-renewal. Particularly complex are the problems of nonrenewable resources such as oil and coal and other minerals in great demand Green living incorporates conservation into our daily life, whether it be through consuming less non-renewable energy, recycling reusable materials, or even eating less meat.  A comprehensive definition of conservation management is the act of preserving, guarding, or protecting; the keeping of a thing in a safe or entire state.

A management system framework for conservation is the logic of planning to protect or preserve something or the limiting of how much of a resource can be used. Examples of conservation are a programmes to preserve wetlands; to save old buildings; to attempt to minimize the amount of electricity you use by turning off lights when you leave a room. 

Despite the importance of conservation management for balancing the human use of Nature against our demands made upon Earth's resources, the topic is far from the centre of education. The following website gives two examples of efforts being made to develop educational frameworks for universal conservation curricula .