Patrick Geddes explained an organism’s relationship to its environment as follows:
By applying Patrick Geddes' Valley Section to contemporary Achill, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between people and landscape on the island. Geddes' miner is replaced by the mountaineer/climbing instructor at the top of the valley section, reflecting the shift from primary industry to tertiary (service providing) industry on the island. This shift has not been a a complete one however as the sheep farmer and fisherman remain important parts of achill's economy.
“The environment acts, through function, upon the organism and conversely the organism acts, through function, upon the environment.“ (Cities in Evolution, 1915)
In human terms this can be understood as a place acting through climatic and geographic processes upon people and thus shaping them. At the same time people act, through economic processes such as farming and construction, on a place and thus shape it. Thus both place and folk are inextricably linked and through work are in constant transition.
