The Ecological History of European Forests

"The range of method, geography, and land use covered is broad, and provides a nice introduction to historical ecology. Two countries (United Kingdom and The Netherlands) are covered in depth. Kirby et al. provide an informative and interesting overview of the Ancient Woodland Inventory in England and the application of such records to conservation. Meanwhile, Bailey et al. give a thoughtful treatment of opportunities for preserving biodiversity in ancient woodlands. Detailed studies are provided on historical controls over invertebrate fauna in pasture-woodlands (Alexander), woodland management on a 17th century estate in Yorkshire (Gulliver), historical changes in a Cumbrian woodland (Barker), and millennial changes in an Oxfordshire forest and implications for lepidoptera. Of particular interest are the Dutch contributions; they destroy the myth of homogeneity in The Netherlands ... [A] collection of intriguing stories of cultural landscapes ..."--The Quarterly Review of Biology