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Forest and Nature Governance pp 23–46Cite as

From Practical Science to a Practice Based Approach: A Short History of Forest Policy Studies

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Part of the book series: World Forests ((WFSE,volume 14))

Abstract

This chapter presents a short history of forest policy studies, with the aim of situating the practice based approach of this book. Forest policy studies emerged as a sub-discipline within forestry science in the mid-20th century. Its early focus was strongly influenced by traditional forestry science, but since then it has evolved. The chapter first explores the basic characteristics of forestry science that prevailed when forest policy analysis emerged, and identifies the disciplinary matrix underlying conventional forestry science. The next sections describe how forest policy studies’ normative view on professional practice changed into an analytical perspective on governance processes, and how a critical perspective on policy practices has recently been added to the discipline’s repertoire. During this process, the conceptualisation of the ‘forestry practitioner’ gradually widened from professional foresters to include both forest policy makers and laymen practitioners. Concomitantly, the role of the forest policy scientists has gradually changed, from (1) advising foresters, to (2) explaining policy dynamics, to (3) reflecting upon the social practices of scientists, policy makers and professional foresters alike.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Due to the authors’ predominant research focus on European and tropical forestry, in this chapter only a few references are made to forest policy studies in the Americas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    K. Freerk Wiersum, Bas Arts & Jim van Laar

Authors
  1. K. Freerk Wiersum
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  2. Bas Arts
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  3. Jim van Laar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Freerk Wiersum .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Research Centre, Chairgroup Forest & Nature, Wageningen University &, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Bas Arts

  2. , Forest & Nature Cons. Policy Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Jelle Behagel

  3. , Social Sciences, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, Wageningen, 6706 KN, Netherlands

    Séverine van Bommel

  4. , Forest & Nature Con. Policy Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Jessica de Koning

  5. , Forest & Nature Con. Policy Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, Wageningen, 6708 PB, Netherlands

    Esther Turnhout

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Wiersum, K.F., Arts, B., van Laar, J. (2012). From Practical Science to a Practice Based Approach: A Short History of Forest Policy Studies. In: Arts, B., Behagel, J., van Bommel, S., de Koning, J., Turnhout, E. (eds) Forest and Nature Governance. World Forests, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5113-2_2

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