The connected nature of communities: Balancing the environment and society

Minh-Phuong Thi Duong
Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam

January 28, 2025

“It has been a very difficult fishing season. If we want to be full, we have to create a joint venture.”

—In “Joint Venture”; Wild Wise Weird (2024).

[SCIENCE COMMUNICATION]

The symbiosis of systems

The community includes both nature and people, and these two parts are closely connected. They rely on each other to keep a balance that is essential for life. Nature—like ecosystems, resources, and the climate—provides the foundation for life. Healthy ecosystems help keep the environment stable by managing important processes like the carbon and water cycles. For example, forests work like the Earth’s lungs, taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. When forests are healthy, they help keep the air clean. But if forests are damaged or destroyed, this balance is disrupted, leading to problems like climate change. This can harm people who depend on nature for food, water, and shelter.

These natural processes are also shaped by how people interact with the environment. The way we manage resources set regulations, and protect nature all play a role in maintaining the balance between nature and society. Every decision we make—whether as individuals or as a community—can have a significant impact on the environment [1,2]. The social aspects of a community—its culture, relationships, and institutions?act as the glue that holds everything together. These social structures give people a sense of belonging and identity, helping them unite to face challenges and make decisions that shape their future. Whether through local councils, neighborhood events, or traditions passed down through generations, these connections foster collaboration. They enable communities to manage resources wisely, adapt to change, and support one another when needed [3].

A community’s strength comes from the way its natural environment and social systems are closely connected, like two threads woven into a fabric. When they work well together, they create a strong, resilient community that can thrive. A healthy environment gives people the resources they need, while a strong social system helps people use those resources wisely and support each other in tough times. This story is about how nature and society work together to form a whole. When both are in balance, the community can adapt to challenges, overcome difficulties, and become stronger. In this essay, we’ll explore how these natural and social elements are linked, and why taking care of both is important for building a sustainable future for everyone.

The natural dimension: A cornerstone of survival

Imagine you’re standing on the edge of a small fishing village by the sea. The ocean stretches out before you, with waves crashing rhythmically against the shore. Here, the natural environment isn’t just a backdrop; it’s the lifeblood of the community. Fishermen cast their nets into the water, relying on the sea’s abundance to feed their families and sustain their way of life. Coastal communities like this thrive because of the surrounding marine ecosystem—rich with fish, seaweed, and other resources they depend on every day [4]. Now, picture a farmer walking through rows of crops under an expansive sky. For them, the land is everything. The soil’s fertility and the availability of water determine whether their crops will grow, whether their families will have food and whether their community will prosper. In agricultural societies, the land shapes everything—from daily routines to long-term plans [5]. In the mountains, the relationship with nature takes a different form, but it’s just as crucial. Here, communities rely on the forests not only for timber but also for protection against natural disasters like floods and landslides. The forest acts as a shield, a source of building materials, and a provider of food and medicine. Without a healthy forest, their survival would be at serious risk, showing just how deeply their lives are tied to the natural world.



Each of these communities relies on a unique natural resource, and their well-being is closely tied to the health of that resource. But it’s not just about taking from nature; it’s also about understanding and maintaining that balance. Many communities, over generations, have practiced management strategies to protect the resources that sustain them. They rotate farming activities to prevent soil depletion or protect sacred forests that provide essential ecosystem services. These practices are not just traditions; they are the means to ensure that future generations can live off the land, just as they have [6]. Communities have adapted to their environments in remarkable ways. In deserts, where water is scarce, creative water-saving techniques have been developed. In the tundra, people have built shelters and crafted tools that can withstand freezing temperatures. These adaptations reflect the resilience of human creativity and the deep connection between communities and the lands they call home [7].

The social dimension: identity and connection

In a peaceful village, life flows smoothly with the rhythms of nature, creating a strong bond between the people and their environment. Each day begins with traditions that come from the land. An elder, with hands made rough by years of work, carefully weaves a basket from fibers collected from local plants. These fibers are more than just materials—they represent the village’s connection to nature and the knowledge passed down through generations who have lived in harmony with it. When the harvest season ends, the community comes together to celebrate the harvest festival. It’s not just a celebration; it’s a time for giving thanks and renewing their spirit. Songs and laughter fill the air as the villagers honor the land that provides for them, strengthening their shared connection to the cycles of nature.

This harmony is maintained not only through traditions but also through social institutions like village councils or cooperatives. These structures serve as the foundation for balance, resolving disputes, managing shared resources, and ensuring fairness in the distribution of land’s produce. In addition to their practical roles, these institutions reflect the community’s shared commitment to preserving relationships and the environment. Stories passed down through generations further bind the community together. Told around a crackling fire or shared in quiet moments, these stories carry lessons of resilience, cooperation, and care. They recount ancestors who survived droughts or celebrated the land’s abundance, serving both as a compass and a thread connecting the present to the past [8].

Through these shared traditions, institutions, and memories, the community’s social structure creates a strong link between people and the natural world. It helps build identity, unity, and sustainability, guiding the community to value its past while protecting the future. All these elements make sure the connection between people and the environment stays strong and lasting.

Challenges to balancing natural and social systems

Imagine a small fishing village that has grown over generations by following the rhythms of the sea. The elders pass on their wisdom, teaching the younger generation the best times to fish and the importance of letting certain areas rest to ensure the ocean’s abundance lasts. The harmony between the community and nature has sustained them for many years. But over time, the tides begin to shift—not just in the waters, but in the life of the village itself.

External pressures are the first to appear, like waves crashing against their traditions. A large company offers to buy the village’s fishing rights, luring them with promises of quick wealth. But this deal threatens the fragile balance they have had with the sea. Climate change keeps disrupting their way of life, changing water sources, and turning once-rich fishing areas barren, questioning the value of knowledge passed down through generations. On top of these challenges, government policies often favor big industries, ignoring the needs of smaller communities. As a result, the village feels left behind and unprotected in a fast-changing world [9].

These outside challenges mix with internal problems, testing the village’s ability to adapt. The growing population puts a strain on their resources, while younger people, drawn to the excitement of modern cities, start moving away from traditional ways. As cultural practices fade, the shared knowledge that once helped the community connect with the sea begins to disappear. Meanwhile, the village grows, and more people mean more boats on the water, causing even more pressure on the already limited resources. Younger generations, seeking opportunities in the city, continue to leave. With them go the stories, songs, and wisdom that were passed down through the years—the knowledge that once helped the community survive tough times.

The village is at a crossroads, with an uncertain future ahead. Even so, there is hope in recognizing that they are not alone in facing these challenges. By blending tradition with new ideas, they can find a way forward. Protecting their cultural heritage while adopting sustainable practices, supporting policies that respect their way of life, and fostering unity within the community can help them get through these tough times.

*Note: The essay was developed based, in part, on the ideas of Dr. Nguyen Minh Hoang.

References

[1] Malhi Y, et al. (2020). Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities, and solutions. The Royal Society, 375, 20190104. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0104

[2] Radosavljevic S, et al. (2024). Navigating simplicity and complexity of social-ecological systems through a dialogue between dynamical systems and agent-based models. Ecological Modelling, 495, 110788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2023.110788

[3] Copeland S, et al. (2020). Measuring social resilience: Trade-offs, challenges, and opportunities for indicator models in transforming societies. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 51, 101799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2020.101799

[4] Arkema KK, et al. (2024). Advancing the design and management of marine protected areas by quantifying the benefits of coastal ecosystems for communities. One Earth. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590332224002094

[5] Parikh SJ, James BR. (2012). Soil: The foundation of agriculture. Nature Education Knowledge, 3(2). https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/soil-the-foundation-of-agriculture-84224268/

[6] Nikolakis W, et al. (2023). The ‘environmental stewardship-health nexus’ among Indigenous peoples: A global systematic literature review. Wellbeing, Space and Society, 4, 100121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wss.2023.100121

[7] Ford JD, et al. (2020). The resilience of Indigenous peoples to environmental change. One Earth, 2, 532-543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.05.014

[8] Vuong QH. (2024). Wild Wise Weird. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BG2NNHY6/

[9] Vuong QH, Nguyen MH. (2024). Better Economics for the Earth: A Lesson from Quantum and Information Theories. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D98L5K44

[10] Vuong QH, La VP, Nguyen MH. (2025). Informational entropy-based value formation: A new paradigm for a deeper understanding of value. http://books.google.com/books/about?id=8SVEEQAAQBAJ