I don't think there will ever be a cure against depletion the way things are.

There are fewer resources then people whom want them (I don't care for the reason for 'wanting' them).

 

Thus there will always be the point of 60% ...and then someone walks by and thinks,'If I don't get it, someone else will'.

Me or someone else.

 

I recently found myself with a herb gathering thing. My first gathering tool I ever had. And then, what do I see, herbs at 1/2 at best. I know if I don't harvest them, there's a fair chance that someone else will. So I picked them.

If you put 20 random people together and say 'You can all get 50 dollar, if noone of you picks up the 100 dollars on the table', you can be assured that someone picks up the 100.

 

Is there a fix? I don't know. A peek at other games shows resources nodes being increased (WoW) or all resources being personal (Guild wars 2). I like the second idea, then it's your own damned problem if you deplete them. But it is totally not a feasable thing I'd guess.

it is a feasable thing to have personal resources...but then where is the fun in that :p