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Scotland is famous for the beauty of its natural landscape. Its mountains, glens and lochs draw both locals and tourists to enjoy walking, fishing and many other recreations in the countryside. We can easily forget that the landscape we see today has been formed by man as well as nature. For example, much of the current woodland has been planted rather than seeded naturally. Scotland's built heritage, from the Stone Age houses of Skara Brae in Orkney, to the castles of Mar in Aberdeenshire and the planned Georgian cityscape of Edinburgh's New Town, also attracts many admirers.
However, man's effect on the environment can be far from beneficial. In recent years, many people have become concerned about the quality of our air and water and the potential effects on health when they become polluted. There have been significant changes in land use, with more of Scotland becoming urbanised and industrialised. While traditional crofting still survives, modern farming has moved to more intensive and specialised methods.
There is much we do not understand about the complex interactions which shape and change our environment, often at a global level. Natural events, such as volcanic eruptions, and human interventions, such as burning fossil fuels, can both impact on the climate. Increasingly, we see that events far from Scotland, such as the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in Russia in 1986, can affect us directly.
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