Forest and Land Management in Imperial China

About this book

Although China is generally considered to have suffered continuous deforestation over most of its history, forests were protected or even planted and maintained for centuries in some places. This study identifies six such cases. It uses historical evidence to show that individuals and communities act to manage resources sustainably for a number of reasons including economic benefit, religious or symbolic purposes, and that sustainability of the management system depends on the form of control exerted over the resource.

Contents

- List of Maps
- List of Tables
- Introduction
- Forests in China
- Forest Stability and Decline: A Delicate Balance
- The Mulan Weichang Imperial Hunting Enclosure
- Temple and Monastic Forests
- Clans, Communities, and Commons
- Trees in Agricultural Systems
- Beyond Timber: Fuelwood, Sericulture, and Fungi
- In the Depths of the Mountains: Logging the Old Growth
- Discussion and Conclusions
- Appendix
- References
- Index

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