Sandberg, Audun. 1998. "Environmental Backlash and the Irreversibility of Modernization." Presented at "Crossing Boundaries", the seventh annual conference of the International Association for the Study of Common Property, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, June 10-14.

Abstract

(From the Author's Introduction)

"...In using examples both from Northern Norway and North America, the paper crosses boundaries by using modernization processes in agriculture and animal husbandry and corresponding ecological changes as variables in order to explain political processes: Increased political demands for economic efficiency and rationalization in animal husbandry has resulted in more extensive forms of grazing large numbers of animals on high altitude pastures. State subsidized breeding programs have resulted in heavier animals with higher grazing efficiency and weaker flock affinity. Changes in forestry patterns and in cattle grazing in village forests have changed a previously open cultural lowland landscape into a denser, reforested landscape. This has together with a general rural depopulation created improved opportunities for herbivores like roe-deer, deer and moose, both in their traditional areas and by migration to new areas. Following this expansion of wild herbivores there has also been a natural expansion of their accompanying predators, especially of lynx following the roe-deer....

"...Crucial innovations that can act as a strategic test of the feasibility of coexistence of predator conservation and rationalized animal husbandry, areprograms for changing animal husbandry in a way that increases predator resistance in domestic animals or minimizes contacts between domestic animals and predators in 'predators' core areas'.The paper also analyses reactions to such programs and the way this challenges fundamental institutions in modernized animal husbandry. Acknowledging the deep cultural cleavages within separate state sectors in many western countries, the paper finally discusses the consequences of delinking both the governing of predator resources and the governing of mountain and forest grazing from the state and the conditions for a transfer of responsibility for governing biodiversity to local self governing institutions."