Hauhs, M; Lange, H: II: Reconstruction of the land use history of the Lange Bramke catchment from 1530-1947, Workshop Proceedings IAHS Red Book series, 336, 24-31 (2010) | |
Abstract: The utilization history of the Lange Bramke catchment and the northern Harz mountains is dominated by ore mining. In this second part of our contribution, we use historical documents to provide ample evidence that forestry and water utilization were managed according to administrative goals in a largely centralized manner. However, the perception of the landscape and its function and purpose changed significantly over the centuries. In particular, the distinction between renewable (such as forests) and non-renewable (such as ore deposits) resources is a rather modern one, as is the principle of sustainability. This change in perception is apparent from the type of maps used, the different conflicts on property and exploitation rights, and the request for quantitative inventories of resources, appearing quite late in the mining history only. The remnants of smelters and charcoal production still demonstrate the importance of historical land use in the area for proper interpretation of monitoring data. |