Other Answers (19)

• My suggestion would be that preservation normally refers to keeping something static, not changing it, and perhaps restoring it to original.
  
  Conservation, in my opinion, relates to better utilizing or managing the use of a product or commodity, i.e, a non-renewable resource.
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• Grandpa is conservative. He%26#039;s not a preservative.
• Grandma is well preserved. She conserves her energy.
• It will depend on the context.
  
  Conservation is reducing the use of a resource. i.e. Forest Conservation might refer to de-treeing less forest than before
  
  Preservation is maintaining (and sometimes restoring). i.e. Forest Preservation might refer to setting aside a section of forest to prevent it from being touched (and possibly planting more trees to restore the area).
  
  In a simple sense, the two terms mean the same thing and its only in a technical sense that you really have to worry about the difference. If you can do one or both its a good thing :)
• Preservation: The act or process of preserving, or keeping safe; the state of being preserved, or kept from injury, destruction, or decay; security; safety; as, preservation of life, fruit, game, etc.; a picture in good preservation.
  
  Conservation: Preservation or restoration from loss, damage, or neglect: manuscripts saved from deterioration under the program of library conservation.
  The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and of natural resources such as forests, soil, and water.
• Technically if you preserve something, you maintain it in its current condition. Conservation means protecting and managing an area.
  
  In practice, the terms are usually used interchangeably. In my area we have reserves and preserves. Again, terms are pretty much interchangeable, but people used to argue about these terms.
• Preservation is a restorative act. Conservation is the arithmetic involved in preservation.
  
  The big joke in the 80%26#039;s was, %26quot;Conservation is a good thing, except there%26#039;s no money in it.%26quot;
• These words are often used interchangingly.
  
  The way I see it....preserving something refers to something specific, like the preservation of a specific forest in Idaho, for example.
  
  The term %26#039;conservation%26#039; often refers to the conservation movement that exists today. The conservation movement includes things like preserving important lands, building sustainable economies, preventing wildlife extinction, etc.
  
  Hope this clears things up for you. conservationist