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The effects of overpopulation have taken its toll on the earth for several hundred years, and while resources have dried up, people have been forced to move to find new ways of providing for themselves, and we continue to worry about global warming and pollution, nature has quietly been taking back areas that once belonged to her. From tiny fishing villages off the coast of China to remote areas of Europe to ghost towns in North America, these breathtaking reclamations have garnered appreciation and wonder from a worldwide audience.
The aforementioned islands off the coast of China were once a set of fishing villages, until the fishing opportunities dried up, leaving many without a living, forcing them to relocate to the mainland. While a few stubborn individuals have decided to stay, the rest of the village was taken over by ivy and other plants, creating a beautiful, eerie village that no longer has the sounds of humanity dampening its growth. This town is now visited by tourists, but otherwise, it maintains its quiet peace and gives us hope that one day we might be able to live more harmoniously with the Earth and its other inhabitants.
Will we learn from our mistakes? Will we be able to figure out ways to allow regrowth to happen in places where people will continue to live? Imagine what could be done in a world like that, with fresh green everywhere, better air to breath, more moisture for our own gardens, and a healthier, longer-living planet. It isn’t enough to let nature take over, though. She needs all the help she can get because we are nearing the point of no return. These few abandoned places are a good place to start studying how we can be more ecologically friendly, but without everyone’s help, we won’t be able to see any of it come to fruition.
If you’d like to gather inspiration for your own green initiative, you can find more photos of this abandoned village here.
Photo credit: Jane Qing
