Final answer:
The notion that environmental degradation did not contribute to the Maya collapse due to the milpa system being sustainable is false; many complex factors were involved. Also, it is true that the Southeastern United States was one of the independent centers for plant domestication.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that 'the milpa-forest garden technique is highly productive and sustainable; therefore, it seems unlikely that environmental degradation was a driver of Maya collapse' can be deemed false. While the milpa system (a form of slash-and-burn agriculture) was indeed productive and could be sustainable in certain conditions, the collapse of the Maya civilization can be attributed to a complex set of factors. Over time, the intensification of agriculture to support growing populations, coupled with prolonged droughts and social factors, may have contributed to the decline of the Maya. Sustainable agricultural techniques such as the milpa system could alleviate some environmental pressures but were not sufficient to prevent eventual resource depletion and environmental degradation in the face of increasing demographic and climatic stressors.
Additionally, the statement about the region of the present-day Southeastern United States being one of the world's independent centers for plant domestication is true. Over time, practices spread from regions like Mesoamerica to temperate parts of the Western hemisphere, demonstrating the extensive influence of agricultural knowledge beyond its points of origin.