The eucalyptus : a natural and commercial history of the gum tree / Robin W. Doughty.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Doughty, Robin W.

Series:

Center books in natural history

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Eucalyptus--History.

Eucalyptus.

History.

Physical Description:

xiv, 236 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Baltimore, Md. : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000.

Summary:

For some, eucalypts are the tree of the future: easily established, quick to grow, and intensively cultivated. For others, eucalypts are a blight upon native landscapes and the livelihoods of indigenous people. This book tells the story of how the eucalyptus -- or "gum tree" -- spread from its native ranges in Australia to diverse habitats throughout the world. First regarded as an exotic novelty and a popular ornamental in European botanical and residential gardens, the eucalyptus became, especially after World War II, the favored tree of the global pulpwood industry and international ogroforesters.

Robin W. Doughty, one of the world's leading biogeographers, discusses various reasons for the tree's popularity throughout history, ranging from the merely aesthetic, to its purported malaria-countering character in swamps and bogs, to its ability to adapt and mature quickly as a source of timber and firewood -- a fact which especially appealed to railroad companies in the nineteenth century. Turning to the last half of the twentieth century, Doughty raises important environmental, socioeconomic, and political issues surrounding the eucalypt. In developing nations in Latin America and Asia, for example, the accelerated establishment of eucalyptus plantations has led to a heated debate about their impact upon the environment and about the social consequences of encouraging expansion on both private and community lands.

Contents:

1 The Geography of Eucalypts 1

2 Bound for Europe: Eucalypts for Pleasure 24

3 Beyond Australia: Ferdinand von Mueller 47

4 California Promotes Eucalypts 66

5 Industrialists and Eucalypts: Take-off in Brazil 96

6 Eucalypts for Pulp 105

7 Colonial Adoption: Eucalypts for India 128

8 Environmental Issues 144

9 A Global Solution: International Agencies Promote Eucalypts 159.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0801862310

OCLC:

41445819