University of California Press Resource Conservation: Economics and Policies

Resource Conservation: Economics and Policies by S. V. Ciriacy-Wantrup is a landmark study that frames conservation not simply as a matter of ecological stewardship but as a set of economic problems demanding rigorous analysis. Written in the early postwar era, the book identifies the twin experiences of resource depletion―renewable and nonrenewable―as central challenges for modern societies, linking them to technological change, population growth, and shifting social institutions. Ciriacy-Wantrup provides a systematic classification of resources, defines conservation in terms of intertemporal use, and introduces concepts such as the “safe minimum standard,” which have since become foundational in resource economics. Across its wide scope, the book integrates private decision-making, market forces, property and tenure arrangements, and public policy tools into a coherent framework. It examines how uncertainty, interest rates, taxation, and market structures shape conservation behavior, and it pushes beyond private economics to define objectives for social conservation policy. With chapters on domestic and international tools, policy coordination, and even mathematical notes on conservation theory, the book laid intellectual groundwork for subsequent environmental economics. For scholars and practitioners alike, it remains a touchstone for understanding how economic reasoning can guide the protection and use of natural resources in ways that balance present demands with long-term security. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1952.