• DOI:10.1126/science.abe4943
• Corpus ID: 240153327

Effects of land dispossession and forced migration on Indigenous peoples in North America

@article{Farrell2021EffectsOL,
  title={Effects of land dispossession and forced migration on Indigenous peoples in North America},
  author={Justin Farrell and Paul Berne Burow and Kathryn McConnell and Jude Bayham and Kyle Powys Whyte and Gal Koss},
  journal={Science},
  year={2021},
  volume={374}
}

• J. Farrell, P. Burow, +3 authors Gal Koss
• Published 29 October 2021
• Environmental Science
• Science

Description Long-term impacts of land dispossession To date, we lack precise estimates of the extent to which Indigenous peoples in parts of North America were dispossessed of their lands and forced to migrate by colonial settlers, as well as how the lands that they were moved into compare to their original lands. Farrell et al. constructed a new dataset within the boundaries of the current-day United States and found that Indigenous land density and spread in has been reduced by nearly 99% (see the Perspective by Fixico). The lands to which they were forcibly migrated are more vulnerable to climate change and contain fewer resources. Research and policy implications of these findings are discussed. —TSR A dataset of Indigenous land dispossession and forced migration compares historical with present-day tribal lands. INTRODUCTION Centuries of land dispossession and forced migration of Indigenous peoples by European and American settlers reshaped the entire North American continent. Yet the full scope of change is not quantified or systematically georeferenced at scale because of severe data constraints. Thus, fundamental questions and hypotheses still remain untested, especially concerning estimated total land loss, land value potential, and current and future climate risks. Building on historical research and Indigenous Studies scholarship, we developed a new dataset to catalog and examine the totality of land dispossession and forced migration in what is currently called the United States and tested hypotheses related to the environmental and economic impacts of these processes over time. RATIONALE We constructed a new comprehensive dataset compiled from a broad suite of historical sources for the vast majority of Indigenous peoples, by nation, within the boundaries of the contiguous United States. We classified the land base data for each tribe within two time periods: historical and present day. We then applied statistical models to assess two research questions at scale. First, what was the full extent of land dispossession and forced migration for each tribe and for all tribes combined? Second, did tribes’ new lands, being severely reduced in size and potentially far from their ancestral lands, offer improved or reduced environmental conditions and economic opportunities over time? We tested the latter along four hypothesized dimensions that include exposure to climate change risks and hazards; mineral value potential; suitability for agriculture; and proximity to US federally managed lands that limit Indigenous movements, management, and traditional uses. RESULTS Statistical analysis shows that aggregate land reduction was near total, with a 98.9% reduction in cumulative coextensive lands and a 93.9% reduction in noncoextensive lands. Further, 42.1% of tribes from the historical period have no federally- or state-recognized present-day tribal land base. Of the tribes that still have a land base, their present-day lands are an average of 2.6% the size of their estimated historical area. Additionally, many tribes were forced onto new lands shared by multiple Indigenous peoples, even in cases in which nations are culturally dissimilar and have separate ancestral areas. Many present-day lands are far from historical lands. Migration dyad analysis shows that forced migration distances averaged 239 km, with a median of 131 km and a maximum of 2774 km. Tests related to climate change risk exposure, land conditions, and potential economic value reveal substantial differences between tribes’ historical and present-day areas. First, tribes’ present-day lands are on average more exposed to climate change risks and hazards, including more extreme heat and less precipitation. Nearly half of tribes experienced heightened wildfire hazard exposure. Second, tribes’ present-day lands have less positive economic mineral value, being less likely to lie over valuable subsurface oil and gas resources. Agricultural suitability results were mixed. Last, about half of tribes saw an increase in their proximity to federal lands in the present day. CONCLUSION This research suggests that near-total land reduction and forced migration lead to contemporary conditions in which tribal lands experience increased exposure to climate change risks and hazards and diminished economic value. The significance of these climate and economic effects reflect aggregate changes across the continent, but there is an urgent need to understand the magnitude of place-specific impacts for particular Native nations resulting from settler colonialism in future research. This study and dataset initiate a new macroscopic research agenda that prioritizes ongoing data collection, Tribal input, historical validation, public data dashboards, and computational analysis to better understand the long-term dynamics of land dispossession and forced migration across scales. Land dispossession and forced migration impacts between historical and present-day periods. (Top left) Proportion reduction for coextensive land area estimation (accounting for multiple tribes in a single area). Limitations in the historical record likely result in an underestimation of total historical land area. (Bottom) Plots show changes in tribal land conditions (mean and 95% confidence interval) for selected variables. What are the full extent and long-term effects of land dispossession and forced migration for Indigenous peoples in North America? We leveraged a new dataset of Indigenous land dispossession and forced migration to statistically compare features of historical tribal lands to present-day tribal lands at the aggregate and individual tribe level. Results show a near-total aggregate reduction of Indigenous land density and spread. Indigenous peoples were forced to lands that are more exposed to climate change risks and hazards and are less likely to lie over valuable subsurface oil and gas resources. Agricultural suitability and federal land proximity results—which affect Indigenous movements, management, and traditional uses—are mixed. These findings have substantial policy implications related to heightened climate vulnerability, extensive land reduction, and diminished land value.