It is a great pleasure to join in this symposium held on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the National Parks Board of South Africa. I am deeply honoured to have been entrusted with presenting the Keynote Address to the symposium, which brings together those responsible for conservation in southern Africa, and I come here representing both the World Wildlife Fund and its sister organisation IUCN, the Interna- tional Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Having considered contents of the programme before us, I have felt it appropriate to talk on the subject of "Conserving One Earth". First I wish to look at our Earth as we find it today and then discuss the role of conservation both as a tool for wise development and in ensuring that wild things and wild places can continue to contribute to our quality of life.