An increasing number of works on the rural-environmental connection can be found at present. however, their overview and classification are needed -this is the guiding idea of this paper. We distinguish three approaches to the ruralenvironmental connection and label them scientific approach, environmentalist approach, and development approach. in the paper, theories of environmental concern (post-materialism, paradigm shift, and ecological modernisation) are discussed at first and then a classification of works is proposed.Key words: environment, rural areas, czech republic, post-materialism, paradigm shift, ecological modernisation 1 Further correlations among post-materialism and other variables were found as well. For example, fewer patriarchal opinions can be found, in certain respects, among post-materialists. Post-materialist aspirations of liberty are related to disagreeing that men make better political leaders (inglehart and Welzel 2005).