The importance of conservation is growing each year, with increasing concerns over the destruction of biodiversity and the rising awareness of ecosystem services generating new debates on the human-nature relationship. This compact overview integrates the process, theory and practice of conservation for a broad readership, from students to practitioners. Taking a global perspective, it uses examples from around the world to show how general themes, patterns and drivers acting at different scales come together to cause problems at the local level"-- Provided by publisher.