Sustainability and Biodiversity — Forest Historical Notes on Two Main Concerns of Environmental Utilisation

Abstract

The concept of ‘sustainability’, one of the most important principles in 18th century forestry of the German speaking world and uniquely concerned with the sustainability of timber production, was joined in the course of the 19th century by the concept of the ‘role of the forest in nature’. In the 20th century, there followed the forest political theory of the different forest functions and, finally, the modern sustainability concepts.

‘Biodiversity’ is not recorded as such in forest historical records but can be made accessible by using suitable ‘tools’ of historical research, some of which may yet have to be developed. By concentrating on ‘sustained forestry’ 19th century forestry (dis)qualified and largely banned various forest utilisation that were not restricted to timber production and frequently applied within small areas as ‘harmful’ minor utilisation. The result was not only a loss of a great variety of locally adapted legal forms but also of biodiversity.