Nature Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is environmental geography?
It is any form of geographical inquiry that considers some element of society or nature relative to each other (Castree et al. 2009).
What are some key topics studied in environmental geography?
Topics include nature conservation, extractivism, pollution, environmental expertise, climate change, environmental conflicts, urban ecologies, energy transitions, and inter-species relations.
Why is environmental geography considered the “original integrative environmental science”?
Because it bridges physical and human geography, integrating natural and social sciences (Marston 2006).
According to Raymond Williams (1983), what are the three broad meanings of ‘nature’?
He outlines nature as (1) the essential quality of something, (2) the inherent force which directs the world, and (3) the material world itself, especially when regarded as separate from humans.
How is nature often depicted in popular culture and media?
As distant, wild, uninhabited, beautiful, awe-inspiring, and separate from humans or civilization.
What is the “wilderness ideal” according to William Cronon (1995)?
It is the notion that wilderness is a pristine, untouched place free from human interference, seen as the last refuge from civilization.
Why is the idea of wilderness considered a social construction?
Because it reflects cultural and historical ideas rather than objective reality; wilderness areas are often shaped by and through human action and imagination.
What material effects does the idea of wilderness have?
It can lead to the exclusion and displacement of indigenous communities, restrict land use rights, and reinforce colonial notions of “unused” land.
When was the Serengeti first established as a national park and by whom?
It was established as a game reserve in 1921 and as a national park in 1940 under British colonial rule.
Why was the Serengeti chosen as a site for conservation during the colonial period?
Due to a mix of fear and nostalgia for a vanishing ‘Edenic’ landscape amid increasing extractive development.
Who were the original inhabitants of the Serengeti region?
The Maasai, Ndorobo, and Sukuma communities.
What social implications did creating the Serengeti National Park have?
It led to land use restrictions, displacement of communities, and framing local residents as part of “nature” and therefore not part of modern history or development.
What does it mean to say that nature is “produced”?
It means that human actions, ideas, and power relations shape what we understand and define as “natural” spaces.
Who typically celebrates wilderness and who is excluded?
Elite, urban tourists celebrate wilderness; local communities, especially indigenous groups, are often excluded through displacement or denial of land rights.
How is environmental knowledge linked to environmental power?
Claims about the environment (what it is, how it should be used) are tied to who gets to control and manage that environment.
Does critiquing the idea of wilderness mean denying the reality of nature?
No, it means recognizing that what we call “nature” is shaped by human ideas and actions, without denying the material existence of ecosystems and species.
Why does understanding nature as socially constructed matter?
It helps us recognize the roles of history, culture, and power in shaping our interactions with the environment, and promotes more just and responsible ways of living with nature.
What should be the central question in environmental geography regarding human-nature relations?
Not how to save nature from humans, but how to live better and more responsibly within it.
