Exercise #1: Local Environmental History
Instructions
For Exercise #1, you will bring environmental concepts home by looking at your neighbourhood’s environmental history.
- Using the submission form, post a photo of your area (Google Street View if you do not want to show your home) on this interactive map and explain the ecological history of this space, as per this example.
- Write a 700 to 1100 word of the ecological history of this physical environment, including where applicable: pre-contact use and settlement; wildlife past and present; early settlement and resource extraction; invasive species; urban development; stewardship actions (urban stormwater retention systems; community gardens; composting facilities).
- You must show where you found your information, either through footnote citations or with links embedded in the text, or a combination of both.
- The writing can be informal, as per the Exercise 1 Sample (you may even use first person, which definitely will not fly with your historiography and major essay projects!) but correct spelling and grammar are expected.
- In most cases, given the readily available information online, this exercise need not take more than 6–8 hours to complete. It is meant to help you think historically about your environment—to read it through an ecological lens. If you live in a rural area or small town, you may think that there is less to say than what you read in the sample based on a Vancouver neighbourhood, but this is not the case. The environmental history will be very different, and you might focus far more on, say, the settlement period of the late nineteenth century, or the implications of the introduction of cattle or irrigation and less on events of the 1960s and 70s.
- Please note, you should write and edit your submission in a separate file then copy and paste it into the submission box. Once submitted to the HIST 3991 trubox site, you will not be able to edit your post.
Are you a student of HIST 3991? Click here to add a submission to this assignment.
Submissions
Latest Posts
Pemberton Valley
March 30, 2026 By: Elkie Webb
The environmental history of the Pemberton Valley demonstrates that humans function as a keystone species, capable of sustaining or destabilizing ecosystems depending on how they engage with the land. Long before agricultural development, the valley was shaped by the dynamic movement of the Lillooet River, which braided across a glacial floodplain, depositing sediment and creating fertile yet unstable soils. This landscape consisted of wetlands, oxbows, and dense floodplain vegetation, continually reshaped by seasonal flooding and ecological processes. Within this environment, the Lil’wat Nation developed a reciprocal relationship with the land, guided by ecological rhythms such as salmon runs, animal behaviour,…
McQueen Slough – Near Dawson Creek, BC
March 17, 2026 By: Daphnee Cairns
When I walk along the boardwalk at McQueen Slough near my home in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, it feels like I’ve stepped out of the city and into something much quieter and natural. Just a few minutes from town, the noise disappears, and all that is left is the sound of wind moving through the grasses and the calls of the birds. At first glance, it feels like a natural, untouched space, but upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this landscape has a long, complex environmental history shaped by both natural processes and human activity. Before European settlement, this…
Oakville, Ontario
March 17, 2026 By: Yanran Lu
Ecological History of the Area Around E. J. James Public School The area around E. J. James Public School, located near the intersection of Dalewood Drive and Cairncroft Road in Oakville, Ontario, is now a quiet suburban neighbourhood with houses, schools, and parks. However, the land has a much longer ecological history. Over time, the environment of this area has changed significantly due to human activity. By examining the history of Indigenous land use, European settlement, agriculture, and suburban development, we can better understand how the landscape around the Sixteen Mile Creek watershed developed into what it is today. Long…
Clayton Heights in Surrey, B.C.
March 14, 2026 By: Michelle Anderson
I live in Clayton Heights, a vibrant suburban community in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. Clayton Heights is known for its family-friendly neighbourhoods, walkable streets, nearby parks, and a strong sense of community, making it a wonderful place to live and raise my children. I moved here in 2001 to start a family and have not left! The area is especially recognized for its newer housing developments, local schools, farms, and easy access to green spaces, blending agriculture with suburban comfort including outdoor living. With its welcoming atmosphere and growing community, Clayton reflects the diverse and connected heart of Surrey. Over…
704McGill Road
March 2, 2026 By:
The area around 704 McGill Road in Kamloops is part of the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc Nation and has a long ecological history shaped by human–environment interaction. Prior to European settlement, Indigenous peoples actively managed the landscape through seasonal movement, harvesting of salmon, roots, and berries, and controlled burning. These practices maintained open grasslands and supported wildlife populations while reducing the risk of large wildfires. During the nineteenth century, European settlement introduced ranching, transportation infrastructure, and new plant and animal species that altered local ecosystems. Grazing changed soil structure and vegetation, while railways and roads fragmented habitats…