Towards a unified understanding of human–nature interactions

Interest in the direct interactions between individual people and nature has grown rapidly. This attention encompasses multiple academic disciplines and practical perspectives. A central challenge thus lies in creating a rich cross-disciplinary understanding of these interactions, rather than one that might become characterized by little conceptual, terminological and methodological unity. Here, to facilitate the former outcome, we bring together concepts and theories about direct human–nature interactions drawn from diverse disciplines within a unified conceptual framework. Using this framework, we discuss the linkages among key concepts and theories, identify important knowledge gaps and suggest directions for future research. Understanding interactions between people and nature is increasingly vital. This Perspective argues that synthesizing concepts and theories from diverse disciplines is crucial, and suggests a conceptual framework for unifying this effort and science.