Applied Environmental History in Land Use Transformation

Abstract This paper explores the role of historical inquiries in a Danish context and argues for increased used of applied history in environmental governance, more specifically in land use transformations. It does so through a presentation of a case study focusing on the role of shifting understandings of best practices in land use and nature management in a rural area in Denmark. By analyzing project proposals and their failures over time, we argue that policy makers involved in nature restoration will benefit from a more detailed understanding of the past landscape and of the knowledge-making related to it.