Reading the paper “Manahatta: An Ecological First Look at the Manhattan Landscape prior to Henry Hudson” by Eric W. Sanderson and Marianne Brown gave me a new perspective on the island of Manhattan. I am in Manhattan every day and, besides for the few patches of green found in our parks, all I ever see are concrete and tall buildings. I always knew that everything on the island was man-made, but I never stopped to think about what was here before the island was touched by humans, specifically before the European settlement. A current map of Manhattan looks like a flat grid of streets and buildings. However, the British Headquarters Map revealed hills and valleys, fields, ponds, streams running through the island, wetlands, beaches, and forest ecosystems. However, since then, those “hills were leveled, valleys filled, and streams diverted into sewers; new buildings, streets and infrastructure were continually being constructed” (Sanderson 547). I also used to think of Central Park as such a natural environment, since it is the largest and oldest park in New York. But I found out from this article that is actually completely man-made covering what was originally many freshwater wetland ecosystems (Sanderson 557).
Manhattan went from being covered 1% by human-dedicated areas and being almost completely natural in 1609 to being covered 97% by human-dedicated areas in 2004 (Sanderson 553). However, I am having trouble deciding whether this drastic transformation is good or bad. On one hand, it is sad to know that so many ecosystems, including the beautiful natural land and all the different species within the island were destroyed. In the 1600’s, someone quoted Manhattan to be “one of the finest and most fruitful lands in that part of the world,” and another person said, “The soil is good” (Sanderson 546). It is unfortunate that we are unable to experience that same beauty that once existed here.
On the other hand, I still love what Manhattan has become. The unique buildings, skyscrapers, artsy areas, and even Times Square, are all things that make Manhattan beautiful today. No city has as nice of a man-made skyline as Manhattan. New York is the financial capital of the world and Manhattan is one of the best fashion centers in the word, with amazing shops and restaurants. There is a reason why New York is such a heavily populated city and why so many tourists come from all around the world to see Manhattan. While the conservation of our natural ecosystems should always be a priority, it is important to stay positive and remember that there are so many ecosystems and untouched lands throughout the world, but there is only one Manhattan, and nothing compares to the beauty and uniqueness that exists on the island is today.