were native americans really more in touch with nature?

Just as a follow up, there’s a big debate among the Cherokee Nation right now. They’ve decided to plant a lobolly pine plantation on part of the reservation land, to bring in profit, and some people are protesting it.

I would say you made a very important point, here…

Not a good example. Crop rotation was universal and actually the only way to cultivate land without quickly exhausting it before fertilizers came into wide use (18th-19th century, if I’m not mistaken).

There seems to be an acceptance that ‘being in touch with nature’ involves some kind of conservation type thing.

I can’t think of any species ( including humans ) that limit their number by choice, isn’t it usually a lack of resource or competition.

From what I have read most primitive cultures operated a ‘kill until gone’ policy on food as it was easier than farming.