Forgotten Landscapes dispels the myth that indigenous populations didn't significantly impact and shape their physical environment in North America prior to the arrival of Europeans. Stanley Rice shares his own direct observations and photographs while also incorporating biological, anthropological, and historical evidence highlighting some of the ways the indigenous groups in an area utilized the land to meet their needs but in a manner that wasn't (isn't?) necessarily recognized from a European-centric lens. I initially learned some of this from other sources but this definitely wasn't covered in my history textbooks in junior high school and high school. I appreciate that the writing was approachable and straightforward even in sections that were a bit more technical and scientific. Some parts felt like a lot of conjecture (educated guesses to be sure, but still mostly a guess, I think). but overall Forgotten Landscapes does make you think twice about the ways we impact the environment and possibly make you question some long-held and antiquated assumptions.

Many thanks to NetGalley, The Globe Pequot Publishing Group, Inc. and Prometheus Books for the e-ARC.

An interesting mix of US history, a smattering of world history, some general science, and the author's own reflection. I do find that occasionally Rice ended up meandering a little bit from the meat of the book, in a way that sometimes unfortunately took away a little bit. However, overall I found this to be a interesting, fairly in-depth read about the extent to which Native peoples shaped the lands they called home.