Constant crisis: an environmental history of Czech forestry in the long 19th century
| Name: | Constant crisis: an environmental history of Czech forestry in the long 19th century |
|---|---|
| Researchers: |
Szabó Péter (researcher) Kaucká Kristýna (member in research team) Suchánková Silvie (member in research team) |
| Provider: | GA ČR |
| Number: | 25-15645S |
| Realization from: | 2025 |
| Realization to: | 2027 |
| Summary: | Current reports about the dismal state of the world’s forests have a long history: in the 18th century, an impending general shortage of wood was presented as a major threat to economic and social order in many European countries. Much research was devoted to establishing whether these claims reflected reality or were rather social constructs. However, little is known about how various crisis discourses became fundamental constituents in the development of modern forestry and whether they had their envisaged effects on the ground. Using a multiscale approach in an environmental history framework that combines the analysis of national discussions, high-level forestry theory and overall changes in forests with the detailed study of local conflicts and ecological shifts, this project aims to understand the complex relationship between crisis discourses in forestry and changes in forest ecosystems between c.1780–1918 in the Czech Lands. |