Historical perspectives on forestry science and monocultures : Ideas of rationality in Sweden during the early twentieth century
Jönsson, Jimmy LU
(2024)
In Ambio: a Journal of Environment and Society
- Abstract
- This study aims to broaden our historical knowledge about ideas of rationalism and monocultures in forestry science and rational forest management. Empirically, it focuses on the writings of Swedish forestry scientist Henrik Hesselman, active in the early twentieth century. The texts were analyzed using the method of historical contextualization. The study indicates that monocultures historically have been subjected to debates richer than what previous research gives credit for. Besides a rationalist technology, monocultures have been conceptualized as an example of non-rational forestry failing to deliver sustainable yields. Moreover, instead of only simplifications, one-size-fits-all solutions, and top-down reforms, historical forestry... (More)
- This study aims to broaden our historical knowledge about ideas of rationalism and monocultures in forestry science and rational forest management. Empirically, it focuses on the writings of Swedish forestry scientist Henrik Hesselman, active in the early twentieth century. The texts were analyzed using the method of historical contextualization. The study indicates that monocultures historically have been subjected to debates richer than what previous research gives credit for. Besides a rationalist technology, monocultures have been conceptualized as an example of non-rational forestry failing to deliver sustainable yields. Moreover, instead of only simplifications, one-size-fits-all solutions, and top-down reforms, historical forestry science representatives have also at times understood rational forest management as a quest for complexity, site-specific solutions, and bottom-up approaches. It is argued that our understanding of forest use and society–environment relations, more generally, benefit from more historical contextualization. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/302e8ae3-424f-43c1-a815-1dba3835c51c
- author
- Jönsson, Jimmy
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- Environmental history, Forestry, History of ideas, Mixed forests, Monocultures, Sustainable yields
- in
- Ambio: a Journal of Environment and Society
- pages
- 8 pages
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38416298
- scopus:85186237372
- ISSN
- 0044-7447
- DOI
- 10.1007/s13280-024-01987-9
- project
- Monokulturens kulturhistoria: Det svenska skogsbruket som fallstudie
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 302e8ae3-424f-43c1-a815-1dba3835c51c
- date added to LUP
- 2024-03-11 16:18:22
- date last changed
- 2024-03-25 16:05:02
@article{302e8ae3-424f-43c1-a815-1dba3835c51c,
abstract = {{This study aims to broaden our historical knowledge about ideas of rationalism and monocultures in forestry science and rational forest management. Empirically, it focuses on the writings of Swedish forestry scientist Henrik Hesselman, active in the early twentieth century. The texts were analyzed using the method of historical contextualization. The study indicates that monocultures historically have been subjected to debates richer than what previous research gives credit for. Besides a rationalist technology, monocultures have been conceptualized as an example of non-rational forestry failing to deliver sustainable yields. Moreover, instead of only simplifications, one-size-fits-all solutions, and top-down reforms, historical forestry science representatives have also at times understood rational forest management as a quest for complexity, site-specific solutions, and bottom-up approaches. It is argued that our understanding of forest use and society–environment relations, more generally, benefit from more historical contextualization.}},
author = {{Jönsson, Jimmy}},
issn = {{0044-7447}},
keywords = {{Environmental history; Forestry; History of ideas; Mixed forests; Monocultures; Sustainable yields}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Ambio: a Journal of Environment and Society}},
title = {{Historical perspectives on forestry science and monocultures : Ideas of rationality in Sweden during the early twentieth century}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-024-01987-9}},
doi = {{10.1007/s13280-024-01987-9}},
year = {{2024}},
}