Historical studies are important for a number of reasons. Current ecological conditions in a highly degraded areas are usually a complex mix of impacts accumulated over many decades or, for older cities, over centuries. By looking at these impacts over time, we can begin to understand what happened and why. Historical studies enable us to see that there is a connection between land use and environmental conditions. This understanding is important to managers making land management decisions.
Historical studies are useful in planning remediation projects.
Environmental scientists and managers can identify which impacts are irreversible and therefore, choose to work on those that are possible to remediate. Historical studies have become a component of environmental litigation, especially since the passage of Superfund legislation. By identifying industries responsible for contaminating the environment, clean-up costs can be recovered.