考古学的证据提示，新几内亚高地的某些最早的人类在近5万年前就已经用砍伐树木来空出土地以种植有用的植物了。 这些发现可能代表了人类占据萨胡尔（Sahul）的最早的记录。
萨胡尔是曾经连接澳大利亚和巴布亚新几内亚的大陆块。 该地块被水所隔绝，这是世界上被现代人类所拓殖的最后的主要土地之一。 Glenn Reginald及其同僚描述了在新几内亚高地的一个考古遗址，在那里，他们发现了被烧焦的露兜树的坚果壳，该树还会生出有用途的叶子及菠萝样的果实。 他们还发现了来自薯蓣的淀粉颗粒。人们可能是在其海拔较低且较为温暖的自然生长地采集到这些薯蓣的。
该遗址存在着一类被认为是用来切割植被的石制的斧子，提示该遗址的早期居民曾用其清理出成片的森林，使得阳光能够透过并促使食用及其它有用植物的生长。 在一则相关的观点栏目中，Chris Gosden提出，生活在这里的狩猎采集者是群体小、流动度高的人群；他们在如今的巴布亚新几内亚的内陆山区链上下活动。 这种活动为几千年后开始的人类向萨胡尔的其它地区迁徙创造了条件。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐英文摘要：
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1193130
Human Adaptation and Plant Use in Highland New Guinea 49,000 to 44,000 Years Ago
Glenn R. Summerhayes,1,* Matthew Leavesley,2 Andrew Fairbairn,3 Herman Mandui,4 Judith Field,5 Anne Ford,1 Richard Fullagar6
After their emergence by 200,000 years before the present in Africa, modern humans colonized the globe, reaching Australia and New Guinea by 40,000 to 50,000 years ago. Understanding how humans lived and adapted to the range of environments in these areas has been difficult because well-preserved settlements are scarce. Data from the New Guinea Highlands (at an elevation of ~2000 meters) demonstrate the exploitation of the endemic nut Pandanus and yams in archaeological sites dated to 49,000 to 36,000 years ago, which are among the oldest human sites in this region. The sites also contain stone tools thought to be used to remove trees, which suggests that the early inhabitants cleared forest patches to promote the growth of useful plants.
1 Department of Anthropology, Gender and Sociology, University of Otago, Post Office Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
2 Department of Anthropology, University of Papua New Guinea, Post Office Box 320, University Post Office, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea.
3 Department of Archaeology, School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queeensland 4072, Australia.
4 National Museum and Art Gallery of Papua New Guinea, Post Office Box 5560, Boroko National Capital District, Papua New Guinea.
5 Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis F09, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
6 Scarp Archaeology, Post Office Box 7241, South Sydney Hub, New South Wales 2015, Australia.
