European Woods and Forests: Studies in Cultural History

Woods and forests were the principal source of fuel in Europe for many hundreds of years. In addition, they were crucially important as a source of construction material for a wide range of domestic, agricultural, industrial and military artifacts. Moreover, they were used for grazing, cultivation and hunting. Consequently, the varied landscapes of today are often a result of past management policies which were closely linked to important events and cultural developments in human history. This book is a valuable source of information for historians and conservationists who wish to preserve our cultural heritage. This book is an interdisciplinary work which draws on selected papers presented at an international conference of forest historians organised at The University of Nottingham in September 1996 in association with the British Ecological Society and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations. In it, historians, geographers and foresters who are leading authorities explore recent developments in the study of the cultural history of European forests in a wide selection of case studies from Scotland, Central England, Spain, Germany and Israel. The book concludes with a theoretical consideration of the concept of ancient woodland. It represents essential reading for landscape historians, geographers, foresters, ecologists, conservationists and land managers with an interest in European forests and is also a useful source for advanced students of these disciplines.