Rediscovering Community in Nature

Community is commonly defined as a human creation, urban settlements, cultures, and networks that are defined by common purpose and identity. But this definition is narrow. It typically leaves out the fact that community is much older than humanity: community is a principle of life.

Nature has been structured in interdependent systems long before humans appeared on Earth. Forests are communities, oceans are communities, grasslands are communities, and even tiny ecosystems are communities: all are networks of interconnected organisms. These systems are not fixed but ever-changing.

Environmental history rejects the notion that humans are somehow separate from the system. Instead, it underscores that humans are a part of what historians call the "community of life" and that human societies are always in an ecological context. This view shows us that community did not originate with humans; it pre-exists us.

Understanding this changes everything. And it changes the way we think not just about the nature of community, but also its survival. If nature is the first community, then human communities are as dependent on the well-being of the natural worlds they inhabit as anything else.

Nature - The Original Community

Nature is a complex interconnected system in which all parts are interconnected. Plants in an ecosystem absorb sunlight, animals distribute this energy, and microbes return nutrients to the ground. Water moves between the atmosphere and earth, and weather affects species' behavior and survival.

Nature is connected with everything

This is what makes a community in the ecological sense. An example of a "biotic community" is a collection of organisms that interact in a common environment, establishing relationships essential to life. These interactions are essential. No organism is an island. 

Natural communities are amazing because of their balance. This balance is not fixed but dynamic; it is kept with adjustments. The processes of ecology enable a system to cope with change while still operating. But there are limits. These can have devastating effects if exceeded.

There are numerous examples in the history of the environment. Climate change, natural events, and human activities have all changed different ecosystems, some to the point of collapse. The takeaway is that nature is robust but fragile.

Thinking of nature as the first community highlights the fact that human communities are part of these larger systems. They are governed by the same laws of interdependence, adaptation, and balance.

Living in the Forest, a Lightness of Being

Indigenous peoples worldwide have long known what the modern world is slowly coming to recognize: that humans are not apart from nature but a part of it. Their systems of knowledge are based on observation, experience, and the importance of balance.

Amazon (South America): Indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest have a pragmatic and spiritual relationship with the forest. They have a deep understanding of plants, many medicinal. They use sustainable practices like selective harvest and manage resource use, promoting biodiversity.

North America (Indigenous Nations): Indigenous North Americans focus on living in harmony with nature. Principles like the "Seven Generations" promote thinking about future generations. Land management, farming, and hunting practices are informed by an awareness of cycles.

South Asia: In India and its neighboring countries, practices such as sacred groves conserve groves of forest for cultural and spiritual purposes. These groves provide refuges for biodiversity, helping to conserve species. Farming practices may correspond to seasons, showing an awareness of the environment.

Africa: In Africa, collective land management systems speak to community resource management. Nomadic herders, for instance, follow seasonal patterns to avoid overgrazing. Oral histories emphasize environmental harmony.

Australia (Aboriginal Communities): Aboriginal Australians have used land management strategies like fire management for millennia. This helps prevent large wildfires and maintains biodiversity, demonstrating advanced ecosystem knowledge.

Arctic (Inuit Communities): Inuit in the Arctic have extensive knowledge of ice, animal migration, and seasonal variations. They live by understanding the boundaries and variability of their environment.

Pacific Islands: Pacific Island communities in Polynesia and Micronesia practiced sustainable fishing and farming, often governed by cultural taboos to avoid over-harvesting. These are examples of how social organization supports ecological sustainability.

While varying in detail, these communities have one thing in common: sustainability is built on respect, restraint, and reciprocity. They consider themselves part of nature's community.

Interdependence - The Common Thread in All Communities

All communities are based on interdependence. In nature, this is evident in feeding relationships, nutrient cycling, and species interactions. In humans, it is often invisible but equally vital.

Cities, for instance, consume resources from distant ecosystems for food, water, and energy. Farming depends on soil, pollination, and climate. Technological systems rely on resources like fuels and minerals.

Environmental history reminds us humans have always been part of an interdependent system. Humans are intertwined with other life-forms. If one element is changed, this change can have an impact throughout the system.

These connections can be thought of as a network rather than a hierarchy. These elements are not completely autonomous, nor are the systems completely isolated. This view overturns notions of human supremacy and emphasizes interdependence.

Disconnection - Humans Beyond Nature

Despite relying on nature, modern societies act like they are disconnected. The rise of industry and technology has given the impression that we can manipulate or even replace nature.

This has resulted in environmental problems. Unsustainable activities have resulted in deforestation, pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. Historical data, including the impact of human activity on Madeira Island through deforestation and the introduction of new species, demonstrates the consequences of human intervention.

Recent data backs this up. Global biodiversity loss is staggering, with an average loss of 69% in wildlife populations over the past few decades. Degradation of forests, climate change, and resource overexploitation are still major threats to biodiversity.

The doctrine of the "development-destruction trap" coined by M. Zakir Hossain Khan suggests a pattern of growth followed by environmental degradation, causing unsustainable development. This trap points to the inherent problem of current development strategies: they are short-term and unsustainable.

Reconnection - Learning from the Past to Shape the Future

In response to these problems, we are seeing greater reconnection with nature. Sustainability programs, conservation projects, and community-driven environmental initiatives show an awareness of the need to rebalance.

Community gardens, renewable energy initiatives, and biodiversity restoration are examples of how cities can engage with nature. There is also growing acknowledgement of the importance of Indigenous knowledge in environmental management.

The concept of "nature's sovereignty" implies that natural systems should be treated as having intrinsic value, rather than instrumental value. This approach promotes more sustainable and fair environmental practices.

Reconnection is about more than technology. It requires a shift in perspective to see ourselves as members of a community. By blending indigenous and scientific knowledge, we can find innovative and sustainable solutions.

Returning to the Roots of Community

Community is not a concept but a reality. It is a relation that supports life, based upon interdependence and formed by ecology. Life is not an individual endeavor but a communal one.

Humans are part of that community. Humans rely on natural systems for our very existence and have an impact on those systems. Our relationship with nature demonstrates the possibility of equilibrium and the effects of disturbance.

Now, there's work to do. To build and maintain our communities, we need to reconnect with nature. This means not just knowledge but action and a shift in living, resource management, and a redefinition of progress.

The key to community is understanding its roots. By embracing the principles that have ensured life for thousands of years, we can create communities that are not only sustainable but also in balance with nature.