Cultural ”nature” and biological conservation

Nigel Cooper

Resumen


Landscapes that we think of as ’natural’ are also cultural artifacts, a combination of ideology and the concrete. Awareness of this can illuminate debates on how to manage natural areas. Different social groups with different values espouse different images of ’nature’. Four concepts of nature current in Britain are outlined: biodiversity, historic countryside, wilderness and companionship. All four of these need to be instantiated to complement each other, though each will be more appropriate for particular circumstances. Political alliances between supporters of these views should be built to promote attentiveness and care for the more-than-human around us.

 

Key words: Nature, landscape, ideology, biodiversity, historic countryside, wilderness, companionship, nature reserves, motivation, conservation.

 


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Referencias


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