Over the previous decades, research has been focused on understanding the relationship between man and nature. While pundits may argue about this relationship, there is substantive evidence demonstrating an intricate relationship between humans and nature. We depend on nature for basic needs, economic growth, and health.
Man lives in the sphere of nature.
As humans, nature always surrounds us. We interact with it now and then. The biosphere is the most crucial part of nature regarding the man-nature relationship. It includes the thin layer surrounding the earth, the soil cover, and any living creature. Without nature, human beings can’t live normal lives. In other words, man needs nature more than nature needs him. Nature can exist without man, but humans can’t exist without nature.
Man has a massive influence on nature
Humans aren’t just mere dwellers in the sphere of nature. They also transform nature. Since man’s existence, he has adapted nature and further made all sorts of incursions into nature. Man has spent enormous energy and time changing nature. The observation explains that man has consistently transformed nature’s wealth into the present-day means of the historical and cultural life of modern society. For instance, man has exploited nature to generate electricity and then utilizes the electrical power to serve his interest and his community. Man hasn’t just transferred a variety of animal and plant species to various climatic conditions, but he has further altered the climate of his habitat.
Man and nature connection is strong.
While man’s connection to nature has been severely weakened by man’s dependence on nature for domestic and industrial resources over the years, man still has a strong connection to nature. After all, man’s psychological and physical need for nature remains intact. As far as nature will continue being man’s source of physical and psychological well-being, humans will remain deeply connected to nature. That explains the deep and strong relationship between nature and man.
Nature and man interact dialectically.
The interaction between nature and man is such that, the more the society progresses, the more man relies less on nature. Think about it; we rely on natural resources for the sustenance of cities and the development of technologies. The components of your phone are mainly derived from the minerals-a natural resource! Again, as man continues to discover more about nature, the more he strives to transform it. Man’s influence on nature increases progressively. Nevertheless, man continues to come into more contact with nature as time progresses.
There are specific stages of man-nature relationship.
The relationship between nature and man has various stages. The first stage is whereby man depends entirely on nature. Since time immemorial, man has thrived regardless of the enormity of natural formations. He has always been awake to nature’s destructive and menacing forces. The second stage of the man-nature relationship is whereby nature changes its face in the course of its interaction with man. The third stage is whereby man is concerned with preserving nature for the sake of his needs.
The man-nature connection has led to unforeseen paradoxes
One of the unforeseen paradoxes that have been brought about by the man-nature relationship is the infamous paradox of saturation. Since the existence of man on the planet millions of years ago, the effects of humans’ power over nature were insignificant. With time, man’s over-exploitation led to the destruction of nearly all aspects of nature. A key example of the prolonged over-exploitation of nature by humans is pollution. Over the years, pollution has led to the destruction of key aspects of nature such as water and the atmosphere. Currently, plastic pollution is an environmental menace that is challenging for our generation.
The man-nature relationship has been characterized by overuse and imbalance.
Almost every part of man’s history has been marked with nature exploitation, specifically environmental degradation. Initially, humans were incredibly in-tune with their surroundings. The ancient people had an insignificant effect on nature, due to their meager population size. But as the human population continued to soar, coupled with technological advancements, man started using more efficient methods of sustaining himself. As populations grew, and societies evolved, the demand for resources shot drastically. This trend led to man distancing himself from nature. He was no longer in-tune with nature. This led to an imbalance and over-use of nature.
The industrialization has alienated man from nature
Whereas no one would deny that man has depended entirely on nature for virtually all his needs, industrialization has taken a toll on nature. With the rise of industrialization, man is gradually being alienated from nature. But due to man’s understanding that he is completely dependent on nature, there have been concerted attempts in the world over to redeem man’s connection to nature. It is no wonder that concepts such as Environmental Impact Assessments are becoming more relevant.
Nature always fights back, and wins
Generally, humans have an insatiable appetite for exploiting nature. We tend to overuse the natural resources by our excessive consumption. There are many ways in which nature has fought. Two of the ways are highlighted below:
- Climate change: Our overuse of fossil fuels is leading to climate change that is having devastating impacts on our lives. The effects of climate change range from sea level rise to adverse weather conditions
- Disease outbreaks: As humans destroy and come in close contact with natural habitats, we are further exposed to the numerous pathogens. It is suspected that the corona virus is a zoonotic disease. The more we encroach into natural habitats, the more we will expose ourselves to diseases
Man is a vital part of nature
Man defines nature as much as he is fully dependent on it. Historically, man has a considerable influence on nature. Through his actions, whether unconscious or conscious, man determines which course nature will take. In other words, man determines the pace that nature will take to evolve. As such, nature and man are inseparable. Man depends on nature for all resources he requires in life. He, therefore, should remain in-tune with nature since he is an integral part of it.
The man-nature connection is sometimes ‘unclear’
The connection between man and nature is, at times, ambiguous, as much as it is intricate. For instance, nature can be an enemy to man as much as it remains a provider. Think about environmental disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, and floods. On the other hand, man is the main beneficiary as far as the relationship is concerned. Since time immemorial, man has always strived to dominate nature. Nevertheless, this domination is currently being revised by societies in the world over. For instance, we are learning that dominating nature is difficult, as exemplified by the complexities of climate change.
Conclusion
The man-nature relationship has had its ups and downs since time immemorial. Although the connection is intricate, multiple instances prove that the present-day man isn’t in-tune with nature. As such, humans must consider their relationship with nature, considering that they need nature more than nature needs them. There should be a universal awareness of how humans can best use nature without exploiting it so that the man-nature connection can continue to thrive.
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David Okul is an environmental management professional with over 10 years experience on donor projects, conservation, forestry, ecotourism, and community-based natural resources management. When not working on active environmental management projects, I spend my time writing for Silvica on a variety of topics.
