19世纪以前美国东部森林砍伐的缘起及生态影响

The Origin and Ecological Impact of Deforestation in the Eastern United States before the 19th Century

森林的砍伐是美国发展现代化经济的重要一环。殖民地时期,欧洲殖民者为减少与印第安人的冲突,改善殖民地的生活环境,促进殖民地的农业发展,对北美东部地区的森林资源进行了大规模的开发;合众国成立后,为推动东部地区现代化经济的发展,当地居民在传统机械主义自然观的指导下大量地毁林建厂。这些对森林资源无止境开发的行为对美国东部地区产生了深远的影响:一方面促使该地区制造业经济迅速发展起来,成为美国早期的经济重心;另一方面也给东部地区的生态环境问题埋下了隐患。

Deforestation was an important part of the development of modern economy in the United States.During the colonial period,in order to reduce the conflicts with Indians,improve the living environment of the colonies and promote the agricultural development of the colonies,the European colonists carried out large-scale exploitation of forest resources in the eastern part of North America;after the establishment of the United States,in order to promote the development of modern economy in the eastern part,the local residents destroyed forests and built factories under the guidance of the traditional mechanistic view of nature.The endless exploitation of forest resources had a far-reaching impact on the eastern region of the United States:on the one hand,it promoted the rapid development of the manufacturing economy in the region and made the region the early economic center of the United States;on the other hand,it also laid a hidden danger of ecological problems in the eastern region.