Changing people's relationship to their environment: Difference between revisions

Today's picture of Beskids is diverse and colourful. Short distances separate from each other very diverse locations. Wallachian Open Air Museum, from where it is a few steps to strictly protected beech forests, is about two kilometres from the industrial site in Roznov pod Radhostem. Primaeval nature in Beskids mostly preserved in geographically isolated parts. People are not merely inhabitants of the environment at present, but became its architects as well. The relationship between man and the landscape has changed. With their today abilities can people reshape whole picture of the landscape in a far greater extent than ever before. A considerable duty to the environment is linked with this ability. By the planting of Sessile Oak they would be able to shift lowlands back to the balance, or by returning of extinct wolves back to nature to reinvigorate a large number of animals and help with the restoration of original environment, for example. Although only certain people feel that their imagination and desires are the sole boundaries for the better future of their home.

People's relationship to the landscape as well as their way of life greatly changed for better in the Beskids during the period of last twenty years. Democratization allowed remarkable all-round development and opening of the ordinary people to extraordinary things previously forbidden. It may be considered as the main cause of this great change. From the variously important parts this transformation passes in the spirit of "convergence"of the Czech Republic to Western European countries, in personal as well as in regional development, etc. Better access to education, art, essential projects, and even to your family, are well-visible changes. All these things blend together and create everyday life texture with globalisation in the background bringing along ever-present extensions and remote images, which seem to be far closer than they truly are. Scheuerman very well describes connection of globalisation with the geographical distances in the general discourse on globalisation. „Geographical distance is typically measured in time. As the time necessary to connect distinct geographical locations is reduced, distance or space undergoes compression or “annihilation”.“<ref>Scheuerman,W. Globalization. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2010.</ref> Further, today inherent changes has globalisation brought in travelling. Quickly increasing possibilities of travel directly affected people in Central Europe. Geographically distant sites drew closer and linked to each other in the last twenty years. Similar situations occur nearly all over the world - very advanced in certain places, elsewhere will occur in the future. Difference can be seen in comparison of long democratic countries with post-communist or post-totalitarian countries.<ref>Bělina, P.; Fidler, J.; Havel, P.; Kučera, J.P.; Láník, J.; Pilát, V. Dějiny evropské civilizace. Paseka. Praha 1995. p. 264-265.</ref> The travelling well illustrates one of globalisation specifics, which can very well bring prosperity or harm a certain area.

At present it could not be said that generality of Beskids inhabitants, feel a warm relationship to its environment. People often keep particular distance from nature and landscape, and take it rather as something traditional and not very interesting. Surely also the best part of people would not wish to harm the Beskids environment and with no degree be involved in its protection. The present situation may seem unsatisfactory, but in comparison of the Beskids appearance in 90th, in the certain parts can be seen a great progress towards the sustainable development of the Beskids region and the restoration of disrupted nature. Globalisation can help to create a ligature between human and the land beneficial to each other as well as to break it. Social networks which are able to detach the user from outside world or to bring him a requisite inspiration for the solution of problems occurring in his home, well present this difficulty. All depends on whether people can walk up by themselves and perceive the future by heart.<ref>Rougemont, D. L'Avenir est notre affaire. Stock. Paris 1977. p. 119 - 194.</ref>

People were far more linked with the Beskids in the half of the twentieth century than they are today. The reasons lies in traditional ties to land providing a livelihood to ordinary people, employments often linked with the Beskids region and people often worked in their surroundings. The absence of elements of today's globalisation is also significant. The Beskids with its inhabitants are still deeply affected by forty years period of socialism and unitary planning. Traces can be well seen in the remaining caginess of inhabitants, and in necessary restoration of environmentally friendly way of raw materials obtaining from the earth.<ref>Pavelka, J.; Trezner, J. etc. Příroda Valašska. Český svaz ochránců přírody, Orchidea. Vsetín 2001. p. 82-83.</ref>

Fortieth and fiftieth years might be considered as a boundary, before which broader intact biotopes retained and globalisation was before its abrupt diffusion. In the second half of the twentieth century the largest devastation of nature in Wallachia and Beskydy has occurred. Globalisation was not directly the cause, rather it was socialist planning and insensitive development of industry, agriculture, as well as lack of care for the countryside. Although certain damage to the Beskids landscape are older. Spruce trees planting began in the 17th century, unsuitable by its substance and architecturally wrong performed regulations of river Bečva and its tributaries, largely started in the 19th century. It is also essential to mention the long-term discharge of predators as well as other native animals in Beskids.