Assessing sustainable biophysical human–nature connectedness at regional scales

Abstract

Humans are biophysically connected to the biosphere through the flows of materials and energy appropriated from ecosystems. While this connection is fundamental for human well-being, many modern societies have-for better or worse-disconnected themselves from the natural productivity of their immediate regional environment. In this paper, we conceptualize the biophysical human-nature connectedness of land use systems at regional scales. We distinguish two mechanisms by which primordial connectedness of people to regional ecosystems has been circumvented via the use of external inputs. First, 'biospheric disconnection' refers to people drawing on non-renewable minerals from outside the biosphere (e.g. fossils, metals and other minerals). Second, 'spatial disconnection' arises from the imports and exports of biomass products and imported mineral resources used to extract and process ecological goods. Both mechanisms allow for greater regional resource use than would be possible otherwise, but both pose challenges for sustainability, for example, through waste generation, depletion of nonrenewable resources and environmental burden shifting to distant regions. In contrast, biophysically reconnected land use systems may provide renewed opportunities for inhabitants to develop an awareness of their impacts and fundamental reliance on ecosystems. To better understand the causes, consequences, and possible remedies related to biophysical disconnectedness, new quantitative methods to assess the extent of regional biophysical humannature connectedness are needed. To this end, we propose a new methodological framework that can be applied to assess biophysical human-nature connectedness in any region of the world.

Dimensions of Landscape Stewardship across Europe: Landscape Values, Place Attachment, Awareness, and Personal Responsibility

“…Landscape values connected to dimensions of a place that require experiential knowledge of it, such as harvesting possibilities and regulating ecosystem services, were connected to higher levels of responsibility, in line with Dorninger et al [7]. In a previous study [27], we found that appreciation of harvesting possibilities seems to be linked to having antecedents in the area.…”

“…However, global-level policies have proven to be insufficient for avoiding unsustainable futures [6], and some authors propose that it is actually at the local and regional scales-within which social and natural factors closely interact and "humans meaningfully experience life" [7] (p. 2)-where significant change can happen. At the place-based level, individuals and communities can realise what is needed and their capabilities to take action [8,9], going beyond rhetoric and bureaucratization.…”

“…Commonly mentioned factors influencing sustainable behaviour include: economic capability [38], level of environmental education [21], and resources and infrastructure provided by institutions and social normative pressure [25]. Other tendencies within the literature also examine the importance of experiential connectedness with place [7], people's relationships with an area [20], and the biophysical qualities of the environment and physical capacities of people [13]. We believe that all these factors play a fundamental role in hindering or fostering landscape stewardship impulses.…”

Modelling feedbacks between human and natural processes in the land system

“…1, but also as an important ontological question affecting how well we can represent feedbacks within and among human and environment systems (Ellis, 2015;Liu et al, 2015;Dorninger et al, 2017). Taken together, the frequency of communication and degree of coordination affect the degree to which feedbacks can be represented in coupled systems and, therefore, considered in our prediction of system behaviour or response to interventions (Fig.…”

Focus on cross-scale feedbacks in global sustainable land management

“…Improving our understanding of these different cross-scale dynamics in diverse land-use systems is critical. Dorninger et al (2017) conceptualize 'humannature connectedness' as a new methodological framework that can be applied in any region of the world to assess how closely connected people are to their regional ecosystems. The authors identify two key mechanisms that disconnect humans from nature on a regional scale: (1) the flow of external non-renewable inputs into the land-use system and (2) teleconnections with distant systems.…”