Forest and Land Management in Imperial China

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

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2. Introduction

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 1-5

3. Forests in China

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 7-34

4. Forest Stability and Decline: A Delicate Balance

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 35-53

5. The Mulan Weichang Imperial Hunting Enclosure

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 55-64

6. Temple and Monastic Forests

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 65-73

7. Clans, Communities and Commons

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 75-87

8. Trees in Agricultural Systems

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 89-104

9. Beyond Timber: Fuelwood, Sericulture and Fungi

   • Nicholas K. Menzies

   Pages 105-110

10. In the Depths of the Mountains: Logging the Old Growth

    • Nicholas K. Menzies

    Pages 111-122

11. Discussion and Conclusions

    • Nicholas K. Menzies

    Pages 123-137

12. Back Matter

    Pages 139-175

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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.

• China
• growth
• research
• sustainability

• Ford Foundation, Beijing, China

  Nicholas K. Menzies

Nicholas K. Menzies

Policies and ethics