Unit 51: Wildlife Conservation & Rewilding

Task (Cambridge C1 Advanced, Part 2)

Topic: Wildlife Conservation & Rewilding Task Type: Essay

Question: Your lecturer has asked you to write an essay discussing the effectiveness of different approaches to wildlife conservation.

Write an essay discussing these two approaches: 1. Preservation: Protecting existing habitats and preventing human interference. 2. Rewilding: Reintroducing lost species and allowing nature to take control of the landscape.

You should discuss both these approaches and explain which one you believe is more effective in the long term.

Word count: 220–260 words.

Tips (en español)

• Structure: Para un essay, utiliza siempre una estructura de cuatro párrafos: Introduction, Body Paragraph 1 (Preservation), Body Paragraph 2 (Rewilding), and Conclusion.
• Register: El tono debe ser estrictamente formal y académico. Evita contracciones (use do not instead of don't) y el uso de la primera persona informal (I think $\rightarrow$ It is argued that).
• Linking: Utiliza conectores avanzados para guiar al lector a través de tus argumentos (e.g., Furthermore, Conversely, In light of the above).
• Hedging: En el nivel C1, evita afirmaciones absolutas. Usa lenguaje cauteloso para sonar más profesional (It could be argued that..., This might lead to...).
• Evaluación de ideas: No te limites a describir los métodos; compáralos. Debes pesar los pros y los contras de cada uno antes de dar tu opinión.
• Time management: No dediques más de 45 minutos a esta tarea. Dedica 5 minutos a planificar el esquema de argumentos para asegurar la coherencia.

Useful language

Model answer

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The Future of Biodiversity: Preservation vs. Rewilding

The rapid decline of global biodiversity has sparked a debate regarding the most effective strategies for environmental protection. While some advocate for the preservation of existing habitats, others propose rewilding as a more proactive solution. This essay will examine both approaches and evaluate their long-term viability.

Preservation focuses on safeguarding current ecosystems by limiting human activity. The primary advantage of this method is the protection of species that are already under threat in their natural environments. By maintaining the status quo, we prevent further habitat fragmentation. However, critics argue that preservation alone may be insufficient in a changing climate, as static protected areas might not be able to adapt to shifting ecological conditions.

Conversely, rewilding involves a more hands-on approach, such as reintroducing apex predators or keystone species to restore natural processes. Proponents suggest that this method fosters self-sustaining ecosystems that require less human intervention over time. Nevertheless, rewilding can be controversial, particularly when reintroduced species come into conflict with local agricultural interests or human settlements.

In conclusion, while preservation is essential for protecting what remains, it may lack the dynamism required to combat large-scale ecological collapse. In my view, rewilding offers a more robust and sustainable long-term strategy, provided that it is implemented with careful consideration of human coexistence. Ultimately, a hybrid approach, where rewilding is used to bolster preserved areas, may prove to be the most effective way to secure our planet's biological future.

Marking checklist

• Content: Have you addressed both approaches (preservation and rewilding) and clearly stated which one is more effective?
• Communicative Achievement: Is the tone consistently formal and academic? Does the essay follow the conventions of an academic essay?
• Organisation: Are the ideas logically sequenced using cohesive devices? Does each paragraph have a clear central topic?
• Language: Have you used a wide range of advanced vocabulary and complex grammatical structures (e.g., inversion, conditionals, passive voice)? Is your spelling and punctuation accurate?