Table of Contents
Importance of the Natural Environment
The term natural environment refers to the living and the non-living things that occur on earth in their original form without human intervention or modification. This includes ecosystems, animals, air, water, and even the land. The natural environment is also very vital as it sustains life, helps maintain the balance within the ecosystem, as well as provides human beings with basic resources for their existence.
Ecosystem Services
Natural environments include several services commonly referred to as ecosystem services. They can be explained under four general categories, namely,
- Provisioning Services: This category includes the growing of crops, harvesting of fresh water, extraction of fuels and gathering of materials, for instance, trees offer lumber and non-timber products, and deep water bodies such as oceans have fishes among other maritime products.
2. Regulating Services: The natural services help particularly in the regulation of climate, the control of floods, diseases, and the purification of water. In this case, wetlands are great examples, as they act as a sponge to absorb excess rainfall, in addition to acting as a filter for pollutants.
3. Cultural Services: The importance of natural spaces lies in the culture, leisure and healthy living they provide for us. Cities have parks and other sea shores and hills for peoples’ leisure as well as spiritual and culturally valued places.
4. Supporting Services: These are essential processes that enable ecosystems to exist and include soil formation, nutrient cycles and photosynthesis. Healthy soils and different types of vegetation are very important in agriculture as well as in the conservation of plants and animals.
Biodiversity
The term biodiversity is used to define the different types of living things found on the planet namely diversity in species, ecosystems and genetic variation. Biodiversity is very important for the ability of an area’s environment to survive changes or disturbances and recover from them. It helps in food production, medicine, and the economy as well. The natural environment and people’s way of life are in great danger due to changes in biodiversity spearheaded by loss of habitat, pollution, climate change, and over exploitation of resources.
Climate Regulation
The Earth’s climate is in some way controlled and maintained by the natural environment. Trees and forests are referred to as carbon sinks because they take up carbon dioxide from the surroundings. It is known to curb global warming or climate change. There is also the case of the ocean that absorbs some carbon itself and controls the ocean dynamics by cooling or warming associated temperatures. The protection and rehabilitation of these ecosystems, it can be seen, perform these functions much better.
Human Impact
The interaction of man and the environment has impacted significantly on the natural surrounding. Urban growth, cutting down of trees, contamination of land and air, and consistent global warming have impacted on the individuals’ habitats, reduced the number of individuals in certain areas as well as changed the existing ecosystems. One must learn that one’s own health is dependent on the health of the planet. In order to prevent the obliteration of the ecosystem, suitable social measures such as tree planting, careful use of resources and lowering pollution need to be put in place.
Conservation Efforts
Conservation of the natural environment is becoming more and more necessary. Specific places like national parks or animal refuges are most effective in supporting the integrity of ecosystems and biological diversity. In addition, community-based conservation projects enable residents to utilize natural resources without harming the environment in turn providing them with alternate economy as well as ecological systems.
Conclusion
The external environment of human activity is not merely a background, but an ongoing reality with which we coexist. Apart from that, it requires care and protection for the existence of the organism and its offspring. With proper appreciation of natural ecosystems, alternation of such ecologist can be achieved and the natural environment will remain undeterred in its provision of services and resources to all forms of life.
