Axel Bader, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg Göttingen, Germany
&
Christoph Riegert, Bavarian Forest State Forest Service,Regensburg, Germany
Abstract
Reflecting on forest functions links forestry and the society since the 19th century, thus demanding early forms of interdisciplinarity. In this essay we trace back the history of the research on forest functions to its very beginning. We present the most influential conceptualizations on this topic in the last 180 years. Including forestry science, political science, history, and economics, protagonists met this challenge by showing an interdisciplinary interest in their other works, too. Since the 19th century, many different terms have been used to describe the relationship between forestry and society, including ‘forest uses’, ‘forest effects’, ‘forest tasks’, and ‘meanings’. This did not only lead to a confusing use of terms but the protagonists did not build on, and connect with each other either. For that reason, a research tradition could not be established. The overview of the development of the different terms is followed by a suggestion to amalgamate the concepts: Today, a society’s demands to a forest should be named ‘tasks’ of a forest. If the forest is producing ‘natural effects’ that make it possible to satisfy these ‘tasks’, we should talk about ‘services’ that are delivered by the forest. Keep Reading