Those paleo populations did alter the environment and did doubtlessly drive some species to extinction, but they did at least seek to establish an equilibrium in which they could live in harmony with the natural environment. It was the emergence of civilization that got humanity onto a (to this point) one-way track of environmental degradation.

There is a way for humanity to achieve an environmental equilibrium yet — without surrendering the benefits of civilization: “The Revolutionary Monetary System That Can Save Civilization” here in Medium.