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There probably hasn't been much "untouched" (by humans) wilderness anywhere since the Pleistocene. Basically all of North America was managed by fire and shaped
by ch4s3 4y ago
There probably hasn't been much "untouched" (by humans) wilderness anywhere since the Pleistocene. Basically all of North America was managed by fire and shaped into effectively a giant game park by indigenous peoples as the glaciers retreated. The Amazon basin was similarly intensively managed with burning, flood controls, and mound building. You'll find similar interventions in the land across the old world as well.
- marssaxman 4y agoYes, it has certainly been disappointing to learn, over the years, just how little there is left we could even attempt to preserve. Of course none of it matters anymore as it will all be damaged by climate change.
- ch4s3 4y agoI think knowing that people have been actively managing whole landscapes and ecosystems for as long as people have existed should inspire hope. Climate Change isn't insurmountable and a lot of damage can be repaired. If we want more vibrant and ecologically diverse landscapes in the future, we have the ability to make that happen. Even without a well coordinated global effort emissions growth is slowing, and declining in many places. In the US emissions have been declining for 15 years, and that's almost entirely driven by market forces and technology. Even a modest coordinated effort will make a huge difference over the coming decades.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]