Segment Two: Man vs. the Land
This video segment poses a question for students concerning their use of resources. The video begins by explaining the difference between pioneer and climax species in the plant community. Showing early pioneer behavior through film of Western mining towns, the video then asks the question, “Is Man a Pioneer?” Using the example of Native American culture in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, students see that misuse and overuse of resources are not new problems. The Chaco Indians’ expansion activities and the eventual consequences builds a case against overuse of the land. This video segment concludes by suggesting that our planet’s resource problems are much more serious than those that drove people out of Chaco Canyon because humankind has no place to “just move on.”