In the medieval period, some viewed nature as diabolical, but Saint Francis expressed feelings of brotherhood towards nature. In his "Canticle of the Creatures", he praised nature and warned that exploiting nature and people would lead to damnation, prophesizing modern environmental issues. Dante also showed great attention to natural phenomena in the Divine Comedy, seeing the whole universe as ordered according to God's plan. As the medieval population grew, more land was needed for farming and settlements, leading to deforestation that increased humanity's environmental footprint.