Forest from the large city perspective: perception and philosophy contexts

The world of nature, understood as a space for human existence, is perceived in different perspectives and categories. From an economic point of view, it can be treated as a source of raw materials and monetary profits, while in a humanistic or ethical perspective as a space for the implementation of human aspirations and expectations. In parallel, concepts of the natural environment have their three perspectives: global, national and local. Each of them reflects different communities, needs, and possibilities of action. In this context, the forest in the perspective of a big city, due to its location between the independence of nature and the influence of human civilization, appears as a specific creation of the natural world. It is more a part of the human life environment than a fully autonomous creation of nature. The proximity of the city, functioning within its borders or borderland makes it dependent on human activities. Even if a person does not shape themselves for their recreational needs, they are exposed to the influence of factors that destroy nature. The integration of the forest with the everyday space of man causes the need to adapt the forest space to the needs of residents. Even if these are ‘forest−friendly’ interventions, from a human point of view (such as thematic paths, boards, trails, viewpoints), they are a disturbance to the natural environment. The scope of the article includes a review of various concepts and visions explaining the nature of the human−natural environment relationship. The main objective was to show the special role of the forest functioning in the space of a big city. The adopted assumptions also allowed to outline the framework of a specific structure of forest perception, which was presented in the final part of the study