This reminds me of the theory that the Rapa Nui on Easter Island also suffered from self-inflicted "ecocide", cutting down all their trees to build their legendary Moai statues and ending up with no birds, unstable soil, erosion… all that comes with it.

This narrative resonates with a lot of people given our current climate crisis and can seem like an ominous warning, but it is also disputed.

Here's an article supporting this theory: https://writingscience.web.unc.edu/2017/09/the-ecocide-of-ea...

An one debunking it: https://theconversation.com/the-truth-about-easter-island-a-...