Grafting the Past onto the Present: The Heritage of Woodlands in the 21st Century

The purpose of the final chapter is to explore the ‘social nature’ of ancient woodlands, in order to undo the bundle of meanings and values attached to the heritage of trees and woodlands, and to look for resonances between these perceptions and the conservation policies implemented over the last 20 years. The species of trees protected, the forms taken by protection and preservation programmes, as well as the discourse on these, even though they may appear as motivated solely by issues of biodiversity/landscape, are informed by a wealth of representations and identity markers. In return, conservation practices contribute to forming people’s perceptions of woodlands in the 21st century.