By Anna S. Brietzke, Diana Hummel, and Deike U. Lüdtke
This Plain Language Summary is published in advance of the paper discussed. Please check back soon for a link to the full paper.
People care about forests in many different ways. These different forms of care can create conflict when people disagree about what a forest needs and how to deal with it. Our research focuses on the “Basalt Forest,” a forest in Germany. We explore four different ways of caring for the forest and how they shape conflicts. A forester cares for young oak trees, a hiking trail warden cares for self-built benches and viewpoints, an environmentalist cares for numerous species of lichen, and a nature conservation officer focuses on rare species and habitats.
With these examples, we show how conflicts are not only about different interests, but also about people’s values, emotions and relationships. They are also about different ideas of what good care means. We explore two reasons why caring for forests can lead to conflict. First, care involves power, as institutions, laws and exclusions influence whose ideas about how to care for the forest are put into practice. Second, the individual forms of caring for the forest can become part of how people understand themselves, giving them a sense of responsibility, purpose and agency.
At the same time, thinking about forest conflicts through the idea of care can help bring people together. Paying attention to what people value, why they care and what they have in common can create opportunities for dialogue and mutual understanding. Our findings show that there is no single way to care for a forest. Recognising both the conflictive and connecting dimensions of care can help to better understand forest conflicts and find ways to address them.
