As interfaces, the parts interact and face each other continually throughout the process of evolution. Finally, the natural hierarchies refer to the order that emerges out of chaos. The author claims that ecosystems evolve into increased levels of "integrity and stability," (p. 291). Less novelty emerges because existing structures have achieved optimal stability. Third, "homo sapiens is related internally to the environment." Human beings are not external to, let alone in command of, the ecosystem. The reductionist and the resourcist prefers to view humans as being externally related to the environment because a position of detachment enables scientific analysis and the economically-motivated harvesting of parts. However, the preservationist views human beings as only one piece in the puzzle: the value of a person is not necessarily greater than the value of any other organism because homo sapiens remains intergral to the whole ecosystem. The preservationist does not seek to harvest parts for financial gain and questions what Oelschlaeger calls "speciesism."

Following the internal relationship between...

The potentially destructive human intervention is the primary motivation for environmental policy and law.
Finally, preservationism holds that "human values go beyond those measured by the national income accounts to include the preservation of wild lands and life." In other words, human beings have an ethical obligation to preserve ecosystems and their components, not because ecosystems possess economic value but because they possess absolute value. The preservation of wild lands and wildlife follows from an ascription to natural law.