The social lives of forests : past, present, and future of woodland resurgence

Forests are in decline, and the threats these outposts of nature face—including deforestation, degradation, and fragmentation—are the result of human culture. Or are they? This volume calls these assumptions into question, revealing forests’ past, present, and future conditions to be the joint products of a host of natural and cultural forces. Moreover, in many cases the coalescence of these forces—from local ecologies to competing knowledge systems—has masked a significant contemporary trend of woodland resurgence, even in the forests of the tropics. Focusing on the history and current use of woodlands from India to the Amazon, __The Social Lives of Forests__ attempts to build a coherent view of forests sited at the nexus of nature, culture, and development. With chapters covering the effects of human activities on succession patterns in now-protected Costa Rican forests; the intersection of gender and knowledge in African shea nut tree markets; and even the unexpectedly rich urban woodlands of Chicago, this book explores forests as places of significant human action, with complex institutions, ecologies, and economies that have transformed these landscapes in the past and continue to shape them today. From rain forests to timber farms, the face of forests—how we define, understand, and maintain them—is changing. Content: 1. From Fragmentation to Forest Resurgence: Paradigms, Representations, and Practices / Susanna B. Hecht, Kathleen D. Morrison, and Christine Padoch Part I. Conceptual Frameworks Rethinking Social Lives and Forest Transitions: History, Ideologies, Institutions, and the Matrix / Susanna B. Hecht 2. False Forest History, Complicit Social Analysis: Rethinking Some West African Environmental Narratives / James Fairhead and Melissa Leach 3. Stories of Nature's Hybridity in Europe: Implications for Forest Conservation in the Global South / Roderick P. Neumann 4. Adam Smith in the Forest / Frederik Albritton Jonsson 5. Jungles, Forests, and the Theatre of Wars: Insurgency, Counterinsurgency, and the Political Forest in Southeast Asia / Nancy Lee Peluso and Peter Vandergeest 6. Mutant Ecologies: Radioactive Life in Post-Cold War New Mexico / Joseph Masco 7. Pan-Tropical Perspectives on Forest Resurgence / Alan Grainger 8. The Social Lives of Forest Transitions and Successions: Theories of Forest Resurgence / Susanna B. Hecht. 9. Paradigms Lost: Tropical Conservation under Late Capitalism / John Vandermeer and Ivette Perfecto 10. Effects of Human Activities on Successional Pathways: Case Studies from Lowland Wet Forests of Northeastern Costa Rica / Robin L. Chazdon, Braulio Vilchez Alvarado, Susan G. Letcher, Amanda Wendt, and U. Uzay Sezen Part II. Historical Ecologies Human- Forest Relationships and the Erasure of History / Kathleen D. Morrison 11. Constructing Nature: Socio-Natural Histories of an Indian Forest / Kathleen D. Morrison and Mark T. Lycett 12. Culturing the Rainforest: The Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak / Monica Janowski, Huw Barton, and Samantha Jones 13. Residual Effects of Agroforestry Activities at Dos Hombres, a Classic Period Maya Site in Belize / David L. Lentz and Brian Lane 14. Forest as Faunal Enclave: Endangerment, Ecology, and Exclusion in India / Mahesh Rangarajan 15. Amazonia: The Historical Ecology of a Domesticated Landscape / Clark L. Erickson Part III. Market Dynamics Market Dynamics and Regional Change / Nicholas K. Menzies. 16. The Fate of the Branded Forest: Science, Violence, and Seduction in the World of Teak / Raymond L. Bryant 17. Gendered Knowledge and the African Shea-Nut Tree / Judith Carney and Marlene Elias 18. Ancient Forest Tea: How Globalization Turned Backward Minorities into Green Marketing Innovators / Nicholas K. Menzies 19. The Production of Forests: Tree Cover Transitions in Northern Thailand, Northern Laos, and Southern China / Jefferson Fox 20. From Swidden to Rubber: Transforming Landscape and Livelihoods in Mountainous Northern Laos / Yayoi Fuijita Lagerqvist Part IV. Institutions Institutions: The Secret Lives of Forests / Susanna B. Hecht. Forests Are In Decline, And The Threats These Outposts Of Nature Face—including Deforestation, Degradation, And Fragmentation—are The Result Of Human Culture. Or Are They? This Volume Calls These Assumptions Into Question, Revealing Forests’ Past, Present, And Future Conditions To Be The Joint Products Of A Host Of Natural And Cultural Forces. Moreover, In Many Cases The Coalescence Of These Forces—from Local Ecologies To Competing Knowledge Systems—has Masked A Significant Contemporary Trend Of Woodland Resurgence, Even In The Forests Of The Tropics. Lives Of Forests Attempts To Build A Coherent View Of Forests Sited At The Nexus Of Nature, Culture, And Development. With Chapters Covering The Effects Of Human Activities On Succession Patterns In Now-protected Costa Rican Forests; The Intersection Of Gender And Knowledge In African Shea Nut Tree Markets; And Even The Unexpectedly Rich Urban Woodlands Of Chicago, This Book Explores Forests As Places Of Significant Human Action, With Complex Institutions, Ecologies, And Economies That Have Transformed These Landscapes In The Past And Continue To Shape Them Today. From Rain Forests To Timber Farms, The Face Of Forests—how We Define, Understand, And Maintain Them—is Changing.-- Conceptual Frameworks -- Historical Ecologies --market Dynamics -- Institutions -- The Urban Matrix. Edited By Susanna B. Hecht, Kathleen D. Morrison, And Christine Padoch. Papers Of The Conference Held At The University Of Chicago May 30-31, 2008. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 89-467) And Index. "Forests are in decline, and the threats these outposts of nature face--including deforestation, degradation, and fragmentation--are the result of human culture. Or are they? This volume calls these assumptions into question, revealing forests' past, present, and future conditions to be the joint products of a host of natural and cultural forces. Moreover, in many cases the coalescence of these forces--from local ecologies to competing knowledge systems--has masked a significant contemporary trend of woodland resurgence, even in the forests of the tropics. Focusing on the history and current use of woodlands from India to the Amazon, The Social Lives of Forests attempts to build a coherent view of forests sited at the nexus of nature, culture, and development. With chapters covering the effects of human activities on succession patterns in now-protected Costa Rican forests; the intersection of gender and knowledge in African shea nut tree markets; and even the unexpectedly rich urban woodlands of Chicago, this book explores forests as places of significant human action, with complex institutions, ecologies, and economies that have transformed these landscapes in the past and continue to shape them today. From rain forests to timber farms, the face of forests--how we define, understand, and maintain them--is changing."--Publisher's description Focusing on the history and current use of woodlands from India to the Amazon, The Social Lives of Forests attempts to build a coherent view of forests sited at the nexus of nature, culture, and development. With chapters covering the effects of human activities on succession patterns in now-protected Costa Rican forests; the intersection of gender and knowledge in African shea nut tree markets; and even the unexpectedly rich urban woodlands of Chicago, this book explores forests as places of significant human action, with complex institutions, ecologies, and economies that have transformed these landscapes in the past and continue to shape them today. From rain forests to timber farms, the face of forests--how we define, understand, and maintain them--is changing. -- Goodreads Forests are in decline, and the threats these outposts of nature face - including deforestation, degradation, and fragmentation - are the result of human culture. Or are they? This volume calls these assumptions into question, revealing forests' past, present, and future conditions to be the joint products of a host of natural and cultural forces.