Man and Nature

by Marsh, George Perkins

• ISBN13: 9780295983165
• ISBN10: 0295983167
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-01
• Publisher: Univ of Washington Pr

Summary

InMan and Nature, first published in 1864, polymath scholar and diplomat George Perkins Marsh challenged the general belief that human impact on nature was generally benign or negligible and charged that ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean had brought about their own collapse by their abuse of the environment. By deforesting their hillsides and eroding their soils, they had destroyed the natural fertility that sustained their well-being. Marsh offered his compatriots in the United States a stern warning that the young American republic might repeat these errors of the ancient world if it failed to end its own destructive waste of natural resources. Marsh's ominous warnings inspired conservation and reform. In linking culture with nature, science with history,Man and Naturewas the most influential text of its time next to Darwin'sOn the Origin of Species, published just five years earlier.In his Introduction to this new edition, David Lowenthal placesMan and Naturein the context of recent scholarship and evaluates its significance for the environmental movement that has emerged since the latter part of the twentieth century. He also paints a vivid portrait of the book's brilliant, passionate, wide-ranging, and sometimes choleric author.Although what we know and what we fear about the environment have vastly amplified since Marsh's day, his appraisal of forest cover and erosion remains largely valid, his cautions about watershed control still cognent, and his call for stewardship ever more pertinent.Man and Natureis worth reading not only for having taught lessons crucial in its day, but for teaching them still so well.David Lowenthalis professor emeritus of geography at University College London. His books includeGeorge Perkins Marsh: Prophet of Conservation, The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History, andThe Past Is a Foreign Country."[Man and Nature was] the rudest kick in the face that American initiative, optimism, and carelessness had yet received." - Wallace Stegner"It is no exaggeration to say thatMan and Naturelaunched the modern conservation movement. It helped Americans in the second half of the nineteenth century recognize the damage they were doing to the natural environment, and challenged them to behave in more responsible ways toward the earth and its natural systems. . . .Man and Naturestands right next toSilent SpringandA Sand County Almanacby any measure of historic significance." - from the Foreword by William Cronon

Table of Contents

Foreword: A Classic of Conservation	ix
William Cronon
Introduction to the 2003 Edition	xv
David Lowenthal
A Note on the Text	xxxv
MAN AND NATURE
Preface	3	(4)
Introductory	7	(46)
Natural Advantages of the Territory of the Roman Empire
Physical Decay of that Territory and of other parts of the Old World
Causes of the Decay
New School of Geographers
Reaction of Man upon Nature
Observation of Nature
Cosmical and Geological Influences
Geographical Influence of Man
Uncertainty of our Meteorological Knowledge
Mechanical Effects produced by Man on the surface of the Earth
Importance and Possibility of Physical Restoration
Stability of Nature
Restoration of Disturbed Harmonies
Destructiveness of Man
Human and Brute Action Compared
Physical Improvement
Arrest of Physical Decay of New Countries
Forms and Formations most liable to Physical Degradation
Physical Decay of New Countries
Corrupt Influence of Private Corporations, Note
Transfer, Modification, and Extirpation of Vegetable and of Animal Species	53	(60)
Modern Geography embraces Organic Life
Transfer of Vegetable Life
Foreign Plants grown in the United States
American Plants grown in Europe
Modes of Introduction of Foreign Plants
Vegetables, how affected by transfer to Foreign Soils
Extirpation of Vegetables
Origin of Domestic Plants
Organic Life as a Geological and Geographical Agency
Number of Quadrupeds in the United States
Origin and Transfer of Domestic Quadrupeds
Extirpation of Quadrupeds
Numbers of Birds in the United States
Birds as Sowers and Consumers of Seeds, and as Destroyers of Insects
Diminution and Extirpation of Birds
Introduction of Birds
Utility of Insects and Worms
Introduction of Insects
Destruction of Insects
Reptiles
Destruction of Fish
Introduction and Breeding of Fish
Extirpation of Aquatic Animals
Minute Organisms
The Woods	113	(168)
The Habitable Earth originally Wooded
The Forest does not furnish Food for Man
First Removal of the Woods
Effects of Fire on Forest Soil
Effects of the Destruction of the Forest
Electrical Influence of Trees
Chemical Influence of the Forest
Influence of the Forest, considered as Inorganic Matter, on Temperature: a, Absorbing and Emitting Surface; b, Trees as Conductors of Heat; c, Trees in Summer and in Winter; d, Dead Products of Trees; e, Trees as a Shelter to Grounds to the leeward of them; f, Trees as a Protection against Malaria
The Forest, as Inorganic Matter, tends to mitigate extremes
Trees as Organisms: Specific Heat
Total Influence of the Forest on Temperature
Influence of Forests on the Humidity of the Air and the Earth: a, as Inorganic Matter; b, as Organic---Wood Mosses and Fungi---Flow of Sap---Absorption and Exhalation of Moisture by Trees; Balance of Conflicting Influences
Influence of the Forest on Temperature and Precipitation
Influence of the Forest on the Humidity of the Soil
Its Influence on the Flow of Springs
The Forest in Winter
General Consequences of the Destruction of the Forest
Condition of the Forest, and its Literature in different Countries
The Influence of the Forest on Inundations
Destructive Action of Torrents
Transporting Power of Rivers
The Po and its Deposits
Mountain Slides
Protection against the Fall of Rocks and Avalanches by Trees
Principal Causes of the Destruction of the Forest
American Forest Trees
Special Causes of the Destruction of European Woods
Royal Forests and Game Laws
Small Forest Plants, and Vitality of Seeds
Utility of the Forest
The Forests of Europe
Forests of the United States and Canada
The Economy of the Forest
European and American Trees Compared
Sylviculture
Instability of American Life
The Waters	281	(101)
Land artificially won from the Waters: a, Exclusion of the Sea by Diking; b, Draining of Lakes and Marshes; c, Geographical Influence of such Operations
Lowering of Lakes
Mountain Lakes
Climatic Effects of Draining Lakes and Marshes
Geographical and Climatic Effects of Aqueducts, Reservoirs, and Canals
Surface and Underdraining, and their Climatic and Geographical Effects
Irrigation and its Climatic and Geographical Effects
Inundations and Torrents: a, River Embankments; b, Floods of the Ardeche; c, Crushing Force of Torrents; d, Inundations of 1856 in France; e, Remedies against Inundations---Consequences if the Nile had been confined by Lateral Dikes
Deposits of the Tuscan Rivers
Improvements in the Val di Chiana
Improvements in the Tuscan Maremma
Obstruction of River Mouths
Subterranean Waters
Artesian Wells
Artificial Springs
Economizing Precipitation
The Sands	382	(55)
Origin of Sand
Sand now carried down to the Sea
The Sands of Egypt and the adjacent Desert
The Suez Canal
The Sands of Egypt
Coast Dunes and Sand Plains
Sand Banks
Dunes on Coast of America
Dunes of Western Europe
Formation of Dunes
Character of Dune Sand
Interior Structure of Dunes
Form of Dunes
Geological Importance of Dunes
Inland Dunes
Age, Character, and Permanence of Dunes
Use of Dunes as Barrier against the Sea
Encroachments of the Sea
The Liimfjord
Coasts of Schleswig-Holstein, Holland, and France
Drifting of Dune Sands
Dunes of Gascony
Dunes of Denmark
Dunes of Prussia
Control of Dunes by Man
Artificial Formation of Dunes
Protection of Dunes
Trees suitable for Dune Plantations
Extent of Dunes in Europe
Dune Vineyards of Cap Breton
Removal of Dunes
Inland Sand Plains
The Landes of Gascony
The Belgian Campine
Sands and Steppes of Eastern Europe
Advantages of Reclaiming the Sands
Government Works of Improvement
Projected or Possible Geographical Changes by Man	437	(30)
Cutting of Marine Isthmuses
The Suez Canal
Canal across Isthmus of Darien
Canals to the Dead Sea
Maritime Canals in Greece
Canal of Saros
Cape Cod Canal
Diversion of the Nile
Changes in the Caspian
Improvements in North American Hydrography
Diversion of the Rhine
Draining of the Zuiderzee
Waters of the Karst
Subterranean Waters of Greece
Soil below Rock
Covering Rock with Earth
Wadies of Arabia Petræa
Incidental Effects of Human Action
Resistance to great Natural Forces
Effects of Mining
Espy's Theories
River Sediment
Nothing small in Nature
Index	467