You are correct it would be a mistake to think that the native populations always had it right. Just look at the Mayans after they cut down all the trees.
The point I was trying to make was that where the land was managed correctly you had created ecosystems that built on what worked.
Around 6,000 years ago the Sumerians built the world's first
city - Uruk this city developed an agricultural system that destroyed their environment.
Today the rivers have moved and marshland is gone. Today the remains of the city is in a wasteland.
Generally large scale farming has been at the root of many ecological colaspes.
But also remember that the very act of living off the land can change the land. Humans can select fruits and seeds can pass as waste and spread.
They may leave a edible trees and cut down a non-edible for use. To make it easier to collect plants they may plant seeds in areas they stay in or may move plants.
There are many cases where they became important parts of the ecosystem.
I have know native people who still practice bushcraft. In some cases they have cultural practices similar to permaculture.
The bushcraft as I knew it and it may be different from your idea of bush craft for it was geared towards being able to successfully live within a given environment.
It was generally low tech and you followed the food cycles.
The permaculture I knew in the bush was adapting yourself to the environment and working with the environment to meet your daily life needs.