Trees and the travels of knowledge: making modern (trans)imperial forestry from the margins, 1917–1939

The project analyses the global interconnectedness of forestry research in the interwar period. Using archival sources in multiple countries, it examines the dissemination of Finnish forestry around the world, including in the tropical zone, uncovering overlooked histories of Finnish involvement in global colonialism. The research makes a major contribution to the field of transimperial history, showing how states like Finland played a globally significant role within strategically selected fields like forestry. The project is composed of three strands. The first examines three Finnish forestry stations as globally significant sites of environmental research. A second strand analyses how forestry methods developed in Finland were disseminated into colonial contexts around the world, especially in Southeast Asia. Finally, the third strand analyses the political and scientific goals of Finnish researchers’ participation in multilateral international forestry organisations.

Image: “Prof. Heikinheimo guiding participants at the Ruotsinkylä experimental area during the World Forestry Congress in Finland”, photograph by Emil Vesterinen, Finnish Forest Association collection (Lusto – Finnish Forest Museum), identifier V91002:2060. CC BY 4.0.