Wild places around the world are being threatened by industry, agriculture, the building of settlements and roads, and tourism. National parks are wild places that we have chosen to protect, yet even they are being slowly ruined. The world's wild places are important - not just to the people, animals and plants that live in them, but to all of us. This book suggests that if we act now, there is still time to save them. This book is part of a series of worldwide surveys on key environmental concerns which explain how environments are affected by human interference, as well as explaining the benefits people gain from exploiting the environment. It includes a description on how companies and individuals are taking action to improve the situation, as well as explaining what still needs to be done.