On 19th Century "acclimatisation societies" that tried to spread non-native species around the world, wreaking environmental havoc: https://wellcomecollection.org/articles/W1hA2yYAACYAsPRC
The men who meddled with nature

The ‘acclimatisation societies’ of the 19th century sought to ‘improve’ on the natural world by releasing non-native species into the wild. The effects were disastrous.