nstigated by those mentioned above) that eventually leads to the need to form protected forest reserves. The fur trade would remain a prime commercial interest and mover of events right up into the move into the lumber industry. An ever-westward movement of expansion characterized the fur trade as areas were depleted of most of the available fur. It caused severe alteration to the native American populations as war and competition for trade became the hallmark of the day. Many Indian nations were destroyed, while others grew stronger off their demise. The environment itself was severally altered as most of the beaver population, by far the most demanded fur in the early history of the trade, was eradicated. This depletion of available fur, while alarming in many respects, was not paid attention to, as we shall see with the practices of the lumber industry. If the connection had been made, many would have realized that if the supposed inexhaustible supply of fur could vanish, so could the forests. Unfortunately for the forests, the connection was not made. A reason for this—one among many—is further explored in the section titled “An American Myth.” The Move Into Lumbering The move from the fur trade into the lumber industry began fairly late in the state of Wisconsin. The reason for this is fairly simple. First, one must keep in mind that the region remained sparsely populated by whites for much of its early history. For, “as late as 1820 Michigan Territory, which included present day Wisconsin, contained less than 9,000 inhabitants, and in 1830 the population was still only 31,600, of whom about 3,000 lived west of Lake Michigan.” At this time, Wisconsin could boast of only two villages, Green Bay and Prairie du Chien. However, with the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, a flood of settlers began to come westward, though Wisconsin did not immediately feel its effect. Wiscons...
