The Flux of Nature

Nature is an infinitely dynamic entity in constant flux. This is evident in Hulls description of the ever changing ecological bioregion of Chicago. Seeing nature throughout geological time, it is apparent that migration and evolution of species responded to climate change, plate tectonics and competition. Trees migrated from the northern region to the southern region in order to biologically survive. Animals carried these trees as seeds, thus as they left so did the vegetation. Nature is dependent on animals and climate to survive. Thus as weather patterns change so does nature.

The controversy in Chicago rests in the environmentalist’s decision to remove exotic vegetation and replace them with the native species. In the text, Hull asks “Why is the native savannah better than the exotic forests?” (p.21) In understanding that conditions in Chicago now , are nothing like pre-European settlers (p.22), is not enough to convince the removal of the “new” human introduced plant life. Hull also explains that when environmentalists are questioned as to why they want to plant native species, they respond with outrage. However, I do understand the premise where these environmentalists are coming from. They simply want to restore life and nature to the era of where oxygen rich plants were prolific. Yet they do not understand that this will not reverse the damage of too much carbon dioxide introduced in the ozone. In fact it may cause more detriment than expected.

As mentioned before, with glacial retreats, species migrated at different rates all over the nation. Trees began to build tolerances for certain soils and moisture. Hull explains that certain seeds that are spread naturally will not thrive if planted by humans because the tree animals fled south of Chicago (p.22). Planting native trees will be unsuccessful, unless animals, soil, climate and other vegetation is re-introduced to that region as well. How would they be able to migrate all the flora and fauna? Nature is not independent or static. One tree cannot thrive without the constant support of the native flora and fauna in that climatic family. While environmentalists have a nice thought to give nature back to Chicago, they would need to create a bioregion similar to Texas.