HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIP RESEARCH
37 The Village Ecodynamics Project (2001—2014) was an award-winning multidisciplinary collaboration among researchers at several institutions to study the interac - tion between Ancestral Pueblo people and their environment over more than 1,000 years, beginning in A.D. 600. The project analyzed more than 5,000 sites in the American Southwest and was selected as one of 10 top projects in the world for its major archaeological research findings by the Shanghai Archaeology Forum. “We furthered understanding of why the Mesa Verde region was depopulated in the A.D. 1280s, the migration of most of these people to the northern Rio Grande region, and the formation of the different Pueblo communities along the Rio Grande that persist to this day.” —Mark Varien 38 For 40 years, we have been studying archaeobotanical evidence in the central Mesa Verde Region and have documented 850 years of domesticated and wild plant usage during the Basketmaker III (A.D. 500–750) period through the late Pueblo III (A.D. 1225–1280) period. This is one of the largest studies of consistently acquired, examined, and reported archaeological plant sample assemblages to assess stability and change in human-plant relationships over eight centuries of time.
39 In 2019, we developed a postdoctoral program to support students with their archaeo - logical research and careers, contribute to Crow Canyon’s ongoing research, and help develop qualified, competent researchers. Three postdoctoral scho- lars have been employed so far, with financial support from endowment funds. Going forward, postdoctoral scholars will focus on human-environ - mental relationship research. 40 The Research Institute at Crow Canyon continues under the leadership of Dr. Susan Ryan, who initiated the first permanent position of Environmental Archaeologist filled by Dr. Jonathan Dombrosky. The respon - sible use of 40 years of data will drive the future direction of the Institute’s projects and programs.
A significant area of study for our research over the past 40 years has been the relationship between humans and the environment in the ancient past. This is a vast area of research that encompasses a wide range of topics, from relationships with plants and animals to resource availability and climate change. Our research explores questions including ‘What effect do people have on the natural environment?’ and ‘How does a changing environment affect human societies?’ We believe it is important to study the relationships between humans and the environment because climate and overarching environmental conditions affect every aspect of human life, from access to sustainable food sources and clean drinking water to social inequality and climate-induced global migrations. By understanding how humans have responded to environmental change in the past we hope to inform discussions of environmental policy today. As we embark on our next 40 years of research and education, a guiding direction for our research is to further study human-environment relationships. Our staff scientists will design projects to answer questions about past interactions among humans and the environment based on key topics such as food, nutrition and subsistence, migration and population movement, settlement patterns, access to and use of natural resources, and community and social organization—aspects of human society and the natural landscape that remain relevant to today’s societies.
As we look forward to the next 40 years, Crow Canyon staff are energized by our passion for pursuing projects and programs that are impactful, relevant, and mutually beneficial to our Indigenous partners.
17 2023 ANNUAL REPORT
CROW CANYON ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER 18
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