The Control of Nature is a book by John McPhee that explores the efforts of humans to control the natural world in the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana. The Atchafalaya Basin is a vast, swampy region that is home to a complex network of rivers, bayous, and canals. It is also an important habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
The book begins with a history of the Atchafalaya Basin, which has long been a source of conflict between humans and nature. The region has been inhabited by indigenous peoples for thousands of years, but in the 19th and 20th centuries, it became a target for development. In the early 20th century, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began building levees and other structures to try to control the flow of water in the Basin. These efforts were largely successful, but they also had unintended consequences. For example, the levees prevented the Basin from flooding, which meant that the land was no longer replenished with fresh nutrients. This led to the decline of many plant and animal species that were adapted to the flood cycle.
As the book progresses, McPhee explores the various ways in which humans have attempted to control the natural world in the Atchafalaya Basin. He discusses the role of the Army Corps of Engineers in building and maintaining the levees and other structures, as well as the efforts of local residents to manage the land and water in the Basin. He also examines the impact of these efforts on the environment and the people who live there.
One of the main themes of The Control of Nature is the difficulty of predicting and controlling the long-term effects of our actions. McPhee shows how the Army Corps of Engineers' efforts to control the water in the Basin had unintended consequences that led to the decline of some plant and animal species. He also discusses the role of chance and circumstance in shaping the Basin's ecology, highlighting the importance of being mindful of the complex and interconnected nature of the natural world.
In conclusion, The Control of Nature is a thought-provoking and engaging book that offers a nuanced view of the relationship between humans and the natural world. It highlights the challenges and complexities of trying to control nature and the importance of understanding and respecting the delicate balance of ecosystems.
The Control of Nature by John McPhee
The article delves into the various facets of concerns and implications for these rivers - informing the reader, and introduces new ideas to persuade the reader. The second section of the book discusses efforts to divert lava flows from a harbor on the island of Heimaey, Iceland, after the January 1973 eruption of Eldfell. About three to four thousand years ago to be exact. The second is the date of publication online or last modification online. Typically, when the pointy-heads are talked out, our guy wades in there and settles things with his own two hands.
The Atchafalaya River Basin
But the future of the Atchafalaya is at risk and has spurred an initiative to conserve and restore its resources. . The first concerns the Corps itself and its historical context. McPhee is quiet in the prophetic mode, though the choice to feature his ride on the Mississippi down the Atchafalaya can be taken as a hint. McPhee presents Iceland and Hawaii as twins, the two most active volcanic regions on earth, but whereas the immediacy of his Hawaiian experiences adds energy to the chapter, the Hawaiian scale does not.
John Mcphee The Control Of Nature Cooling The Lava Summary
Science At The Nature Conservancy, science is at the heart of who we are and what we do. He takes pains to show that it is not actually a military organization only ten of more than fourteen hundred employees of the New Orleans division are army and did not pick this fight with the river the French decision in 1718 to build New Orleans foretold the rest. In city and country, riverfront owners became sensitive about the fact that the levees they were obliged to build were protecting not only their properties but also the properties behind them. See eNotes Ad-Free Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. XLI, June 2, 1989, p.
John Mcphee The Control Of Nature Summary
Everything came down the Mississippi into the Atchafalaya here, and the water used to spread out very well. LVII, April 15, 1989, p. It saved a part of the town and the harbor. July 30, 1989, p. There are several other John mcphee the control of environment summaries and study guides online, including one by FreeBookNotes.
City Koh · The Control of Nature: Atchafalaya
Now, vast areas of backswamp floodplain have become disconnected from the river. From there ships can sail to the west or south. When farmers want less water, for example, fishermen want more, and they all complain to the Corps. Some of it is Chevrolet size. Our floods last for months. An absentee was a Yankee.
