来源:《卫报》
原文刊登日期:2022年4月10日
The Greek historian Herodotus is said to have made one of the earliest lists of seven wonders of the world. These were man-made structures, including the still mysterious feat of ancient horticulture known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. More recent times saw natural alternatives to these marvels of classical architecture proposed: waterfalls, mountains, canyons, reefs. Dramatic landscapes, features and wildlife, and the pleasure and excitement they offer to visitors, are staples of tourism.
据说,希腊历史学家希罗多德(Herodotus)提出了世界上最早的七大奇迹列表。这些都是人造的建筑,包括古代园艺的神秘壮举,即巴比伦空中花园。最近,人们提出了瀑布、山脉、峡谷、珊瑚礁等自然景观来替代这些经典建筑的奇迹。引人注目的风景、特色和野生动物,以及它们给游客带来的愉悦和兴奋,是旅游业的主要内容。
As environmental consciousness has risen in the west, attitudes to such sightseeing have changed. Yes, it is thrilling to visit remote forests or spot rare species. But travelling to far-flung destinations is carbon-intensive when flights or long road journeys are involved, and conservation can be made more difficult as well as assisted by sightseers. There is a balance to be struck, and ethical governments and businesses around the world try to maximise the benefits while minimising the harms. Colombia, for example, recently introduced laws aimed at promoting sustainable tourism.
随着西方环境意识的提高,人们对这种观光的态度也发生了变化。是的,参观偏远的森林或看到稀有物种是令人兴奋的。但是,当涉及到飞行或长途公路旅行时,前往遥远的目的地是碳密集型的,游客的到来既促进了保护环境,也会使环境保护变得更加困难。这需要达成一种平衡,全世界有道德的政府和企业都试图在尽量减少危害的同时实现利益最大化。例如,哥伦比亚最近出台了旨在促进旅游业可持续发展的法律。
Most of us, in the rich countries where people take most holidays, understand better than ever that there are costs as well as benefits associated with exploring. One of the six pledges proposed by an environmental campaign launched last month, The Jump, is to “holiday local”, taking short-haul flights once every three years and long-haul flights very rarely. Fortunately, the UK’s 15 national parks, 86 areas of outstanding natural beauty, and countless other landscapes that are without formal status, but beloved nonetheless, mean that there is no shortage of special places for domestic nature tourists to visit – while a host of European beauty spots are accessible by rail.
在人们度假最多的富裕国家,我们中的大多数人比以往任何时候都更加明白,探险既有好处也有代价。上月发起的环保运动“跳跃”提出了六项承诺,其中之一是“本地度假”,每三年乘坐一次短途航班,尽量少乘坐长途航班。幸运的是,英国有15个国家公园、86个自然美景区,以及无数其他没有正式身份但却深受喜爱的景观,这意味着国内自然景观游客不缺乏可以游览的专门地点——而许多欧洲景点都可以通过铁路到达。
One recent survey found that Windsor Great Park and Kew have become Britain’s most popular attractions, while Covid has created difficulties for indoor spaces which do not apply to outdoor ones. Visitor numbers at wildlife trusts are high, with waiting lists for beaver-spotting. Some companies that formerly ran foreign trips have adapted to the pandemic by taking people to watch dolphins and other marine life off British coasts instead.
最近的一项调查发现,温莎大公园和邱园已成为英国最受欢迎的景点,而新冠肺炎给室内活动带来了困难,而对室外活动并不影响。野生动物信托机构的游客数量很高,排队等待看到海狸的人很多。一些以前经营海外旅行的公司已经适应了疫情,带人们去英国海岸观看海豚和其他海洋生物。
This is not to minimise the destruction of nature that is also taking place. Sewage outflows are out of control due to failed water industry regulation. The owners of a popular rewilded estate in West Sussex – Knepp – have warned that plans to build 3,500 homes next to their land would be catastrophic for the species that live there. But as we confront an environmental emergency that grows ever more dangerous, it is essential to cultivate appreciation for the nature that surrounds us. In a small way, holiday outings to watch dragonflies, kingfishers or seals, or be surrounded by trees that are coming into leaf, could help us to focus on what matters.
这并不能最大限度地减少正在发生的对自然的破坏。由于水务行业监管不力,污水外流失控。西苏塞克斯郡一处颇受欢迎的野化庄园——克内普(Knepp)的主人警告说,在他们的土地旁边建造3500所房子的计划将对生活在那里的物种造成灾难性的影响。但是,当我们面临越来越危险的环境危机时,培养对我们周围自然的欣赏是至关重要的。从一个小的方面来说,假日外出观赏蜻蜓、翠鸟或海豹,或被正在长叶子的树木包围,可以帮助我们把注意力集中在重要的事情上。