They were not omnipotent beings; they were a piece of it all. Nature and natural life and the value of it all gradually became important to humans until they realized that nature didn't merely consist of those who make noise, but also the plants, trees, and the millions of organisms and species living silently worldwide (Coates, 146). With this realization mankind took on the role they carry now; that of the enlightened one, the species that has the ability to keep their surroundings flourishing for themselves and their fellow species. Humans recognized the damage they had done to the world and have of late been desperately trying to remedy the problem.
Often humans find themselves taking the reigns of nature as seen in their attempt to reintroduce endangered species into the wild, but they fall short of completely ruling the lands around them. Cases such as that of the grey wolf and the spotted owl exemplify the human concern for nature's well being and in reversing any destruction they have caused to their surroundings. Though it may seem as though man has full control of nature's course and it's balance of life, he is still at the mercy of nature. Any natural disaster from a tornado to a comet striking the planet could completely destroy mankind, but leave most of nature's natural resources for it to thrive once again free of the human race. This is a perfect example of how humans have much less control over nature than most perceive. .
The true definition of nature and what modern man believes nature is are two quite different things. Though humans have very little control over nature, most of what man now considers "natural" or "preserved" is in essence the product of human conceptualization (Coates, 111). Very little untouched land remains on Earth. National Parks across America are not naturally occurring, they have been tended, nurtured, and encouraged by man since the Native Americans began preserving land in order to ensure optimal game population.