The Mannahatta Project is a Wildlife Conservation Society research project in historical ecology led by landscape ecologist Eric W. Sanderson[1] that principally ran for 10 years from 1999-2009, reconstructing the island at the point of first contact between the Dutch ship Halve Maen and the Lenape in 1609.
The work culminated in the publication of Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City in 2009 and has subsequently developed as the Welikia Project and in influence on other environmental initiatives.
The project has explored the great biodiversity and ecological complexity through a historical geographic information system based on georeferencing of the British Headquarters Map of 1782 and the Randel Farm Maps made for the Commissioners' Plan of 1811,[2] while also detailing the formative impact of Native American use of fire in ecosystems.
[8][9] A planned sequel book is tentatively titled The Welikia Atlas: A Natural History of New York’s Five Boroughs.
As a benchmark in environmental history, the Mannahatta Project has influenced restoration ecology initiatives in the region.