Landscape of Modern Nature

 Jennifer Burton

Geog 101

4/6/2021

Response paper #8

Landscape of Modern Nature

In the article “Kennecott Journey, The Paths out of Town” by William Cronon, Cronon explains the history of Alaska and how people coming from the lower 48 used the land very differently than the Native Alaskans.  Alaska to the native people was a place of survival.  The people had to move and keep population numbers low.  They knew the land and used its resources to stay alive. The people who came later, like the Kennecott miners, did not use the land in the same way. They came to take the mining material and other resources. They did not have to live off the land; everything they needed came from elsewhere. Alaska was a place to take from, use what they wanted, and move on. Cronon gave an example of two children picking berries, one picking for medicine, nutrition, and dye. The other picking because its a beautiful sunny day and she is out for a walk and would like her mother to make a pie (Pg.47-48).

Today, nature in Alaska has changed.  In the article “Survival, Alaskan Style” by Susan Kollin, Kollin describes nature being treated very differently in modern times as compared to pervious eras. People are no longer in touch with nature, unless we work outside. Nature is marketed for recreation in our capitalist world, it becomes a commodity. Extreme nature adventures are marketed to a certain class of people, those who are prosperous.  People who are not worried about survival. Something I found interesting in her article was that extreme nature recreation imitates labor. Gardening, hunting, backpacking, climbing, camping and skiing.  “The play we feel brings us closest to nature is play that mimics work” (Kollin pg 150).