ABSTRACT
Through a study of museums, parks, legal structures, guides, media representations and language, the role of natural heritage in the formation of the modern world can be assessed. Concepts of the 'natural' have been essential in establishing the political, social, cultural and economic structures that have defined individual, community and state identities over the past four centuries. Indeed, natural heritage has made the modern world. However, as the threats posed by industrialisation, urbanisation and late capitalism threaten the survival of the planet in a manner never experienced before within human history, this modern relationship with nature has to be rethought. This can be done through a critical assessment of natural heritage within society. The display of fossilised animals, prehistoric mammals, ancient landscapes, geological formations, media representations or dinosaur models provides a point of connection for contemporary society to consider time, place and identity.
