Man with Nature

So far it seems to me that the reading we have done so far is writing about how man has mastery over nature. Man hunts, man cuts down trees, man overcomes natures obstacles with his tools and mind as "superiority." Emerson writes about he and his boys having a grand time dominating the nature around them on their Adirondack retreat, Thoreau writes that nothing is more beautiful than man's voice in nature (even though it covers the sounds of the birds), and Hammond writes of his moving through nature without nature striking him down. To me, this seems antithetical to modern ideas of environmental writing. Kingsolver, for instance, writes about how humans must work with nature and are overpowered by nature because humans are not unquestionable masters of the universe and should not strive to be. And Salatin writes about using nature's processes to the benefit of the planet and humanity. And I feel that much of the nature writing pieces I've read (which, to be fair, have been few), focus on existing within nature and being subjected to its power. Hammond, Thoreau, and Emerson all wrote about the power and beauty of man and how nature can serve the interests of man. But none wrote about how man can serve and better nature through a working relationship rather than removing humans from the area. I'm glad that the modern nature writers I've read have moved to this kind of understanding because I think it's the necessary understanding of nature for bringing humanity into balance with the planet.