Our paper presents natural environment functions in a systemic approach. Its main principle is to consider a problem as a whole and to perceive reality in the same way. This approach is implicated by the crisis of reductionism in explaining natural, social and economical processes and phenomena, as well as by still rising and intensifying consequences of human interference in the environment. The synthesis of ecology rules and the most important features of complex dynamic systems implicate the statement that balance in the environment is a special state rather than a destination state because natural systems undergo continuous evolutional changes. The existence of feedback makes the changes either run gently and die out or take a catastrophic course and leave the control of societies interfering in the environment. The systemic approach to natural enviroment functioning presented in this paper suggests taking care in its economical application and forming. In theoretical consideration it has been pointed out how economical societies should shape their relations with the environment so that they become the basis for sustainable development.