The Impact of Weather on the Geography of the Planet

As I was researching about mapping history, I discovered research conducted by Boose, Chamberlin, and Foster for the Ecological Society of America. They created a system to analyze the impact of hurricanes on the environment going back several centuries. This system is able to show wind damage, erosion, and several other factors relating to hurricanes and other storms. In this article, the authors analyzed New England hurricane and map data going all the way back to the 1620’s. Through the research, they were able to map forest and building damage, frequency of hurricanes, and many other factors. Here are some examples of their research,

The most interesting aspect of the system they created is the ability to apply it to any area that has sufficient historical records. Although the amount of work is extensive, the authors have already applied their system to several other areas, such as Puerto Rico. This unique system could provide valuable insight into hurricane damage prevention and how these storms impact the environment. The only way the authors’ system can work is through the historic maps that were created centuries ago, and therefore applies very well to ‘Mapping the Historic’.