This first comprehensive treatment of the environmental history of North America's Arctic regions offers a compelling account of the complex encounter of people, technology, culture, and ecology that shaped modern-day Canada and Alaska. Climate change, logging, drilling, prospecting, and hunting. How much more can the unique environment that is our far North take? From the megabeasts of the late Pleistocene to the mining companies of the present, the rich history of Canada and Arctic North America's environment is one with profound implications for the future of our entire planet.
From the arrival of the earliest humans to the very latest scientific controversies, the environmental history of Canada and Arctic North America is dramatic, diverse, and crucial for the very survival of the human race. Packed with key facts and analysis, this expert guide explores the complex interplay between human societies and the environment from Ottawa to Alaska. How has the challenging environment of America's most northerly regions - with some areas still dominated by native peoples - helped shape politics and trade?
Does oil exploration really threaten polar bears, caribou, and other magnificent Arctic creatures? Could oil and mineral wealth hold the key to the survival of humans and animals alike? This unique work charts the region's environmental history from prehistory to modern times and is essential reading for students and experts alike.