European settlers saw many new things when they first came to North America. One of the first things they noticed was the vegetation.
In the east, forests were everywhere. The settlers used wood from trees to build houses. They also burned wood for cooking fires, and to keep warm. The American Indians who lived in eastern forests farmed in small clearings. But early settlers cut down whole forests. They wanted to grow crops in the European way.
What is natural vegetation? It’s the plants that grow naturally in a certain area. The plants reflect the landscape, soils, and climate of that place.
