HIST 2250 Lecture : HIST 2250 Unit 2 Readings.docx
10 Apr 2013
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Wood & charcoal primary fuel, building material fundamental in trade (shipbuilding) Govts encouraged timber trade via privileges /tax incentive. Attempts to secure wood supplies for warships a major role in diplomacy and warfare, deliberate destruction of forests common war tactic. For war machinery& other military purposes, soldiers sent to collect wood for fortifications and fuel. Methods and tech of the timber industry trees cut, branches lopped off, logs pulled by animals, cut into transportable sizes, some carried over water, logs floated to their destination. Some farms reserved sections as woodlots and didn"t completely clear all the trees. Trees cut/uprooted, remove useful parts, leftovers burnt to ashes& plowed on field as fertilizer. Tress that grew naturally a sign of what plants would do well in that area. Overgrazing: pastoralism didn"t destroy high forests but made permanent what destruction went before. Fire: pastoralism fire to clear brush and forests, wildfires only fought if threatened settlements.
