Human cultures are positively influenced by their natural heritage but ironically natural heritage is constantly being undermined by the impacts of human activities.
Natural Heritage
Natural heritage comprises the parts of the natural environment that have cultural significance – aesthetic, historic, scientific, and so on – or other special value for present and future generations. It includes:
- the biological environment (flora, fauna, diversity, habitats and ecosystems)
- the geological and geomorphological environments (rocks, landforms and landscapes).
Nature is important in the context of culture because it helps people identify with their place. Every place has a particular mix of species, ecosystems and natural landscapes. Nature areas can be extremely vast right down to small local sites of special value. Nature has an intrinsic value in its own right, meaning natural heritage should be protected for its own sake and not just for the benefits it provides to people.
The benefits that nature provides to human wellbeing include the economic benefits from natural services, as well as recreation, tourism, science and education opportunities. Nature is also a crucial aspect of indigenous heritage in many places.
Pressures and impacts
Nature, both terrestrial and marine, is at risk from a variety of human caused impacts that include:
- economic development, including land clearance and other substantive land modification
- pollution and waste
- climate change impacts such as desertification, seawater acidification, sea level rises, and, loss of glaciers and ice caps.
- introduction of invasive species both deliberate and accidental
- forest and bush fires both deliberate and accidental
- inadequate management and protections
In addition there are many naturally occurring pressures such as fires, earthquakes, floods, erosion, hurricanes, tornados and other weather events.
Protection and conservation
Most countries have various ways to protect and maintain nature such as national parks, marine reserves, wildlife reserves, conservation parks, sanctuaries, botanic gardens, zoological gardens, and protected species.
