Earth Forum Posts

There is no doubt that “Nature”, as we know it, is in trouble.  Species are going extinct, forests are being cut down, our rivers are polluted, our atmosphere and climate are changing rapidly.   Clearly, this is not a desirable way forward. 

It is therefore a major concern to us, that our new work on Anthropogenic Biomes, which puts forward the concept that “nature is embedded within human systems”, has been interpreted as ammunition for those who would abuse, exploit and destroy nature.

If we say that most ecosystems are now anthropogenic, does this devalue the conservation and protection of “Nature”?  Have we given those who oppose conservation a new tool to eliminate conservation altogether?  Though this was never our intention, it seems to be a potential repercussion of our work.

Here is our defense.

On the one hand, we are convinced, as are many, that it is time to give up on the “protecting fragile nature” approach to conserving a desirable environment.  Managing nature in preserves and leaving the rest of the world to its own devices does not and will not achieve our objectives. 

On the other hand, what we desire may not be good for us.  There may be great danger in proceeding with a democratic approach to the environment- the many may choose the shopping mall over the nature preserve.   Indeed, many already have.

Yet we see no other option but to aim straight for our goal: a desirable environment to live in over the long-term, based on informed collective governance of ecosystems.  As Winston Churchill said about democracy- “Democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”  Viewing nature as a part of human systems encourages people to take responsibility for their ecosystems rather than just thinking of them as “the fragile nature out there”. 

It is our hope that in this century we can improve our environmental governance by building a citizen’s “morality of nature” through education and participation, rather than by fear of the consequences.  Indeed, there are many indications already that we are getting better at managing the environment, and that the regenerative powers of nature are cleaning our rivers, regrowing our forests, and healing the ozone layer.  

We are already in the driver’s seat.  If our collective desire leads us to conserve, preserve, and restore “Nature”, we will all be the better off for this.  But managing nature as if everything we touch is destroyed just will not get us to where we want to go.

-Erle Ellis and Navin Ramankutty

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