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Date of Award
2016
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Awarded
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
History, Philosophy and Religious Studies
College
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Faculty Advisor
Harvey, Mark
Description
This environmental history of the Red River Valley from the mid 1850s – 2000 encompasses those who lived in this tallgrass prairie region and asks how did they live within this environment? In addition, it seeks to understand how they utilized their surrounding natural world. Beyond this, with less than 1 percent of the tallgrass prairie remaining, this work showcases an important aspect of our region few know. Why is this important? The tallgrass helped create the fertile soil, which is the major reason for the high yields of wheat and other crops, and agriculture is the major industry in this region. Also, many of the native plants that once grew abundantly were eaten as food or used as medicine. A ‘cornucopia’ of food existed in this region. There is a loss in our Red River Valley that few know. This region was actually a complex environment, which looked remarkably simple to most who viewed the ‘sea of waving grass.’ This environmental history researches the changes to the surrounding tallgrasses, wetlands, and rivers, as transitions occurred from Native American to Euro-American settlers who adjusted to this new prairie environment, changing the natural world in the process as well. Geology and geography help us to understand the issues of floods in this very young river valley. This research also addresses how changes since the early 1900s have dramatically altered our rivers and wetlands, which were a major part of this landscape, and how this has impacted our lives today. My original quest was to discover how this region appeared with its differing grasses and forbs, riparian forests along the rivers, and the thriving wildlife – bison, deer, elk, bears, wolves, and coyotes. In addition, I sought to understand how others had lived here before Euro- Americans settled in this Red River Valley. All of this is important for us to better understand our environment and ourselves and to learn from our past for our present lives as well. This is a very unique environment and we are wealthy beyond measure in our residence upon it.
Recommended Citation
Brokke, Kathleen Ruth Gilmore, "Transformations of the Red River Valley of the North: An Environmental History" (2016). History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. 43.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/hist-phil-rel-studies/43
Rights
NDSU Policy 190.6.2
Rights Link
https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf
Handle Identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10365/25560