Every effort was made to ensure that the approach to the subject was positive and to emphasize that the role of the ecologist was not only to urge caution, but to point out opportunities. The main purpose of these meetings was to explore ways in which the experience of the ecologist might best help in reaching wise decisions about development. The claim that he can help is based on his knowledge of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment and because of the long time scale within which he works. Many of the successful developments in the past, such as the introduction and expansion of the cultivation of rubber and oil palm, have been based on the intelligent application of ecological knowledge. Where rapid development is needed there are temptations to make rapid capital out of resources that are readily available or to adopt forms of exploitation or use which have been successful elsewhere but which have not been sufficiently tested under local conditions.
Ecology gives the capacity to predict - if sufficient facts are available.
The earlier, therefore, that ecological knowledge is taken into account, the better the use that will be made of local resources in the process of development and the less the danger of costly mistakes or long delays while projects are assessed and reformulated. Perhaps most important, the ecologist can draw attention in advance to courses of action that are likely to lead to any long-term or irreversible deterioration of the resource. There should therefore be a significant input of ecological knowledge when policies are being formulated and alternative programmes being considered. This input should not be delayed until projects or other kinds of specific action for development are actually being planned. Ideally, this input should be positive and ecologists should be intimately associated with the formulation of national objectives and the policies deriving from them, as well as during the more detailed and technical stages such as drafting legislation, planning the allocation of land to various uses, or designing development projects.