Tree rings reveal Indigenous shaping of North America
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Scientists studying tree rings and fire scars now believe Indigenous people actively managed North American landscapes for centuries before Europeans arrived.
Anthropologist Omer Stewart began researching Native American burning practices in the 1930s and discovered communities intentionally used fire to cultivate prairies for bison and maintain oak orchards for food. This research challenges the traditional view of a pristine “wilderness” in early America.
Naturalist Scott Weidensaul argued that the land settlers encountered was already abundant due to Indigenous tending, not a naturally untouched state. Dendrochronologist Evan Larson at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, supports this, suggesting that early pioneer success depended on the prior work of Indigenous communities. The findings indicate that Indigenous land management significantly impacted ecosystems and even the climate. By understanding these historical practices, researchers hope to reshape understandings of North America’s past and the concept of “wilderness” itself.
