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Nature
Geographical Perspectives (ENV-4010Y)
University of East Anglia
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Nature
Nature on maps
There are many different natures depicted in maps.
Maps participate in the construction and reconstruction of our ideas of nature.
Threatened nature
Threatening nature
Nature as grandeur
Nature as plentiful
Natures of maps
There are many different natures depicted in maps.
Maps participate in the construction and reconstruction of our ideas of nature.
Threatened nature
Threatening nature
Nature as grandeur
Nature as plentiful
Collectable nature
Nature as a system
7. Nature as mystery 8. Nature as park
Deconstructing the map
How is this map representing nature?
Four meanings of nature are commonly identified:
Nature as non-human – the external world – a realm beyond human activity
Nature as universal – the entire physical world of which humans are a part
Nature of essence – an essential quality or defining property of something
Nature as superordinate – an inherent power, force or organising principle
What relevance do these meanings of nature have for geographers?
Many physical geographers are interested in the inherent forces that control meandering rivers, glaciers etc. These include: gravity; conservation of momentum, mass etc. Many geographers have been critical of the ideology of external nature. Human geographers are interested in the way some people represent nature as an inherent force.
Knowledges of nature
Our understanding of nature comes from different (and competing) knowledge-poducing domains.
Problematic industrialisation and symbolic of human domination over the natural world?
Our relationship with nature
Nature as a service provider
An ecosystem is “A dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living
environment interacting as a functional unit” (UK-NEA, 2011)
“Ecosystem services are the benefits provided by ecosystems that contribute to making human life both possible and worth living” (UK-NEA, 2011)
There are several different definitions and classifications of ecosystem services.
Uncovering nature’s value
If different people have different understandings of nature, how do we deal with these differences when making decisions?
One approach is to use monetary valuation.
“If values reside in nature we have no scientific way of knowing what they are independently of the values implicit in the metaphors deployed in mounting specific lines of scientific enquiry.” (Harvey, 1996, p).
Nature and the UK policy
Nature is shaping current policy as seen through the Government’s 25- Year Environment Plan.
Drivers:
UK National Ecosystem Assessment (UK- NEA, 2011) and Follow-On.
Natural Capital Committee
Natural Environment White Paper (NEWP, 2011)
National Biodiversity Strategy for 2020
How can we value nature?
Some ecosystem services and goods do not have an exchange value or ‘market price’ (e. outdoor recreation, biodiversity).
Environmental economic methods are used to place a monetary value on ecosystem services where there are no market prices
Value in economics
Valuation tools
Stated preference methods, such as contingent valuation and choice experiments, ask people for their willingness to pay for a certain ecosystem service. The revealed preference approach assumes that observed behaviour follows from an intrinsic utility maximisation process.
Nature
Module: Geographical Perspectives (ENV-4010Y)
University: University of East Anglia
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