Trees - Themes in Environmental History

Publisher Marketing: The fifth volume in the reader series, 'Themes in Environmental History'. Comprising essays selected from Environment and History and Environmental Values, these inexpensive paperbacks address important aspects of environmental history through theoretical essays and case studies. The readers are attracting increasing interest from course-organisers. Trees addresses the roots of environmental history in forest history, offering a substantial section on forestry practice and ideology and the power-relations that have been and continue to be played out in global forests. While histories of forests and forestry have at times, by focus on the woods, obscured our vision of the trees, this volume contains several essays about the nurturing of specific trees, from street trees to penal planting. A theme that runs through many of the essays is the psycho-social significance of trees, from nationalism to legend, imperialism to post-modern uncertainty; trees can be aligned with identity, power, betrayal or redemption. The human relationship with trees that Dargavel and Johann have figured as one of 'science and hope' is an arena for endlessly diversified construction and negotiation, experiment and experience.

Contributor Bio:  Johnson, Sarah Sarah Johnson is a professional juggler in the circus of life! Married to her own Mr Darcy for sixteen years, they traveled the world thanks to the US Army. Now back in the civilian life and settled in Texas, where she grew up, they focus on homeschooling their six children and participating in church and community activities. She can often be found writing a manuscript between spills, science labs, and pencil wars, or late into the night when the house is finally still enough for her imagination to run wild! When she has a few spare moments, she enjoys just about anything crafty - scrapbooking, painting, sewing, quilting, crocheting - basically anything except knitting, a craft she swears few left-handers truly ever pick up well. A devotee of all things Jane Austen, she enjoys exploring the story lines Jane never lived long enough to give the world. She is often found discussing with her online friends the intricacies of the novels we do have from our dearest author. It is these discussions that often lead to the plot bunnies that have now become many stories over the last few years, and hopefully further into the future as well.