NATURAL WILDLIFE CONDITIONS IN THE WEST, A MYTH?


Using the detailed journals of Lewis and Clark, two scientists indicate that the vision of a pristine American West prior to the arrival of European-American settlers may be a myth. Instead, they found that the presence of the region's native peoples already had diminished and displaced wildlife populations.

Using the detailed journals of Lewis and Clark, two scientists indicate that the vision of a pristine American West prior to the arrival of European-American settlers may be a myth. Instead, they found that the presence of the region's native peoples already had diminished and displaced wildlife populations.

I haven't seen the full study yet and have requested a copy along with any additional information they may have collected on mountain beaver, my species of greatest interest. I have questions about how far you can go with this type of journal information but at the same time it can help better understand more about the distribution and abundance of wildlife in much more natural conditions. I've been interested in looking at early russian trapping records as well to get an idea of the distribution of mt. beaver but my previous attempts indicate this is not likely to turn up much new information. At this point, I think there are likely to be too many variables that need to be considered to allow much in the way of conclusions regarding conditions this far back in time. We have enough trouble accurately looking a few years into the future or understanding what took place a few years in the past.

Here's some information from the researcher's web site:

The Lewis & Clark journals of the 1804-1806 expedition contain some of the earliest and detailed written descriptions of a large part of the United States before white settlement. Using the daily entries in the journals, we are developing a spatial database, recording and mapping wildlife distribution and abundance, various ecological observations as well as encounters with the Native population. We are concentrating on 9 of the larger mammals, since the members of the Corps of Discovery kept detailed records of animals hunted and seen along the trail. One of the objectives is to examine the relationship between wildlife observations, habitat types and proximity to human settlements. We are also conducting a time-change analysis, comparing wildlife distribution and abundance 200 years ago with that of today. All this information is currently being assembled in a Geographic Information System (GIS). The research is expected to be complete by the end of 2003.

From the researcher's web site you can also select an interactive map that shows you some of the data they have collected at a number of places along the trail Lewis and Clark followed.

After I get a copy of the entire report and read it, I'll add more information to this posting.

Posted: Sat - March 1, 2008 at 10:48 PM          

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