Environmental History
This Web page provides lists of resources or links to resources that explore environmental history. Environmental history is the historical study of the role and place of nature in human life; or, the interaction of humans and nature through time.
Reference | Key Books | Identifying Books | Journals | Bibliographies on the Web | Databases and Indexes (identify journal articles) | Web Sites
Reference
Reference materials are quite useful for finding background information and can be a great starting point for learning names, dates, terms, etc. The online encyclopedias are available to CSU affiliates only (some links go to the catalog record; click on access online version).
- The Atlas of Global Change. GE149 .G4813 1998 Reference
- The Columbia Guide to American Environmental History. GF501 .M47 2002 Reference
- Encyclopedia of Global Change: Environmental Change and Human Society. 2 vols. GE149 .E47 2002 Reference Also available online.
- Encyclopedia of Human Ecology. 2 vols. GF4 .E53 2003 Reference Also available online.
- Encyclopedia of the Biosphere. 11 vols. GF75 .B5613 1999 Reference
- Encyclopedia of World Environmental History. 3 vols. GF10 .E63 2004 Reference
- Environment: A Revolution in Attitudes. Available online via the Gale Virtual Reference Library.
- Environmental Disasters: A Chronicle of Individual, Industrial,and Governmental Carelessness. GE 140 .D383 1998 Reference
- Environmental Encyclopedia. Available online via the Gale Virtual Reference Library. See a definition of "environmental history."
See a lengthy definition of "environmental history" in the New Dictionary of the History of Ideas available online to CSU affiliates via the Gale Virtual Reference Library.
See also: Environmental History Timeline. (Radford University.) Roll over the era and click for details.
Key Books to do with Environmental History
Click on hyperlinked titles to see full record in library catalog SAGE, which will include the call number, location, and status (checked out or not checked out). If a title is missing or checked out, CSU affiliates might want to check the Regional Catalog Prospector for a copy.
- Ted Steinberg. Down to Earth: Nature’s Role in American History.
- Graeme Wynn. Canada and Arctic North America: An Environmental History.
- Carolyn Merchant. The Columbia Guide to American Environmental History. Also online to CSU affiliates.
- Michael Williams. Americans and Their Forests: A Historical Geography.
- Stephen Pyne. Fire in America: A Cultural History of Wildland and Rural Fire.
- David Christian. Maps of Time: An Introduction to Big History.
- Joachim Radkau. Nature and Power: A Global History of the Environment. Not owned by CSU (4 Prospector Libraries own it).
- Robert B. Marks. The Origins of the Modern World: A Global and Ecological Narrative.
- John Richards. The Unending Frontier: An Environmental History of the Early Modern World. Also online to CSU affiliates.
- Alfred Crosby. Ecological Imperialism: The Biological Expansion of Europe, 900-1900.
- J.R. McNeil. Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the Twentieth Century World.
- Michael Williams. Deforesting the Earth: From Prehistory to Global Crisis.
- Stephen Pyne. World Fire: The Culture of Fire on Earth.
Identifying Books on Environmental History
Books are an important source for information. The subject headings listed in this section can be used to find books related to environmental history topics in any library catalog which uses Library of Congress Subject Headings, including CSU's SAGE. Do a subject search using the terms below to identify books in SAGE and the Regional Catalog Prospector (the Colorado Union Catalog). Books may be requested from Prospector by CSU affiliates. "Human Ecology History" is the main "environmental history" subject heading (there is no "environmental history" subject heading in the library catalog). Be sure to look at related subjects (often linked to just above the searched term).
Agriculture History |
Global Warming |
Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers on Environmental History
- Agricultural History (Agricultural History Society). 1927- . S 1 .A16 Available online to CSU affiliates. Printed in Journal Room (current), Movable Shelves and Storage 1927-1981,1983-2004
- Agricultural History Review. 1953- . S 3 .A3 Available online to CSU affiliates except for most recent 5 years. Printed in Journal Room (current), Storage, and Movable Shelves 1953-1980,1988-1989,1992-
- Annals of the Association of American Geographers. 1911- . G 3 .A8 Available online to CSU affiliates. Printed in Journal Room (current) and Storage (a few in Movable Shelves) 1911-1946,1948-1999; Journal Room currently has 2003-2006
- Environment and History. 1995- . (CSU owns printed 2003- .) GF75 .E55 Available online 1995- to CSU affiliates. Printed in Journal Room (current) and Movable Shelves
- Environmental History. 1996- . GF 1 .E1815 Available online to CSU affiliates. Printed in Journal Room and Movable Shelves 1996-
- Environmental History Review. 1990- . GF 1 .E18 Available online to CSU affiliates. Printed in Storage 1991-1995 GF 1 .E18
- High Country News. 1970- . (CSU owns 1971-1980, 1986- ) HC 68 .H5 Current issues in Journal Room; older issues in Storage and Oversz
- High Country News. Web site.
- Indian Country Today. 1993- . AN .I53 Available online to CSU affiliates. Printed in Journal Room Newspaper section, until Microfilm copy received 1993-
- Indian Country Today - The Nations' Leading Native American Indian News Source. A different entity from printed newspaper--thus the Web and print versions each include information not found in the other medium.
- Journal of Historical Geography. 1975- . GF 1 .J65 Available online to CSU affiliates. Printed in Storage 1975-1976,1986-1989,1991-1994,1996-2000
Identify additional titles of interest (at least one title listed above) by doing a subject search in the library catalog SAGE for:
Current Topics
- Headwaters News: Reporting on the Rockies. Daily updates.
Bibliographies on the Web
Check the library catalog SAGE for books, book chapters, and government documents. Use the citation linker E-journals (
) to find out if CSU has an electronic or print copy of articles. CSU affiliates may request items not owned via this means from Interlibrary Loan.
Online Bibliography on Latin American Environmental History. Lise Sedrez, general editor. California State University Long Beach.
An "attempt to track the emerging field of environmental history in a way that weaves meaningful connections across disciplines. We not only offer our searchable online bibliography Refworks, but link to newsletters, conferences, and current field research. In this sense, the project has a life of its own; your suggestions keep the boundaries fluid and responsive to newest scholarship." Search by keyword. RefWorks software.
What is Environmental History. University of California, Berkeley.
Listing of approximately eighteen articles and books that define environmental history. Also on the site bibliographies of specific interest to California and the United States environmental history divided by regions. Other resources are available from the site.
American Environmental History Bibliography. Dan Flores. Also Dennis Williams.
Not comprehensive, but a large number of entries, divided by: Native Americans and American Nature, European Antecedents, American Exploration and Natural History, the Romantic Age and the Cult of Nature, Environment and the Frontier, Regional Ecological Histories, the Progressive Conservation Movement, Conservation in the 20s and New Deal, Parks and Forests, Urban and Political Issues Since WWII, Ecology (the science) and Environmentalism (the social movement), Biography, Topical Treatments, Environmental Philosophy, and American Nature Writing and Literature.
Selected Bibliography for the Study of the Environmental History of North America. Jessica Teisch. National Humanities Center. May 1996
This might be "selected," but it is extensive. Arranged geographically, with a number of subcategories. For example, American West is divided by: Indigenous Peoples and Exploration; Flora and Fauna; Water, Irrigation, and Reclamation; Industrialization; Culture; and Landscape.
ASLE Bibliography. Association for the Study of Literature and Environment.
An extensive list of subject bibliographies; a number (possibly most or all) are listserv messages. Foot of page has links to other sites with bibliographical resources.
A Basic Guide to Resources on Environment History. Aaron Skabelund. January 2001. Columbia University.
Page has an Introduction about Japanese environmental history; English Language Bibliographies and Materials; and Japanese Bibliographic Materials and Scholarship.
Environmental History. Norumbega bioregion: Changes in the land. Davistown Museum. Maine.
Ostensibly under construction, this is a very extensive site that covers a wide range of topics.
EPA/Environmental History Bibliography. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Timelines and origins.
Environmental Politics and Policy: A Bibliography for Teaching and Research. Dave Robertson. University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Covers a wide range of topics. Some items link out.
See also item under Web Sites with a number of bibliographies (related to Britain).
Identify bibliographies in the library catalog SAGE by doing a subject search for: Human Ecology Bibliography
Databases and Indexes
These indexes may also be accessed remotely by CSU affiliates (also via the "Research Databases" page).
Start with these | More Specific | Newspaper Articles
For a Historical Perspective (& More) Start with These
JSTOR. Full text articles at least 3-5 years old (varies by journal).
Scholarly journals from a large number of biological sciences, botany & plant sciences, ecology, general sciences, geography, history, area studies, political science, as well as other subject areas. Full text.
America: History & Life. 1964- .
U.S. and Canadian history. A large number of entries with environmental history. If doing research to do with United States on this topic, start here. (Search Historical Abstracts for Europe and England.)
Historical Abstracts. 1954- .
Covers the Western world. If doing research on Europe, England, Scotland, or Ireland, start here. (Search America: History & Life for U.S. and Canada.)
AGRICOLA. Years vary.
Contains bibliographic records from the U.S. National Agricultural Library--journal articles, book chapters, monographs, theses, patents, software, audiovisual materials, and technical reports related to agriculture.
CAB Abstracts. 1973- .
Covers "research and development literature in the applied life sciences, including agriculture, forestry, human nutrition, veterinary medicine and the environment."
Digital Dissertations & Theses. 1861- . Many full text 1997- .
Abstracts and citations to dissertations from around the world. Terminology for earlier years will need to be flexible.
Ecology Abstracts. 1969- .
Finds specific geographic instances of environmental changes.
Electronic Collections Online (ECO). 1995- .
Identify articles.
Envirofacts Data Warehouse. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 1975- .
Full text. Has reports, papers, and more. Current history.
Environmental Engineering Abstracts. 1990- .
Some relevant titles to do with recent adaptations of the environment.
Environmental Sciences & Pollution Management. 1981- .
Finds specific geographic instances (habitats) of environmental changes.
Book article entries aimed at a younger audience up through junior/community college, but could have some useful background information. Also includes "more than 61,100 historical documents; more than 66,000 biographies of historical figures; more than 110,200 historical photos and maps; and more than 80 hours of historical video."
Threatened and Endangered Species System (TESS). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
United States focus. Endangered species program lists. Animals and plants. Sorted geographically and by type. Latin terms provided.
Zoological Record Plus (1978- ) and Archive (1864-1977).
Find information about specific species of animals.
Academic Search Premier. Years vary.
Catch-all database. Look here last, if needed, or to find mainstream articles aimed at a lay audience.
Ethnic News Watch. 1990- .
Find articles from non-mainstream news sources. "Environment" includes urban areas. "[B]ilingual (English and Spanish) and comprehensive full text database of newspapers, magazines and journals from ethnic, minority and native presses."
LexisNexis Academic News. Years vary.
Find newspaper and magazine articles. Full text, but no photographs.
New York Times Historical 1851- . Most recent years not available (use LexisNexis Academic just above or own Web site for current years)
Find images of articles from the newspaper. Terminology for earlier years will need to be flexible and possibly quite imaginative in order to find relevant materials on this topic.
Web Sites for Environmental History
The following sites have materials of interest to those doing research in environmental history.
Library Guide
Environmental History. Carnegie Mellon Libraries.
CSU owns a number of the resources listed here (some are listed on this page), but there are additional resources of interest (owned and not owned by CSU).
Bibliography
EPA/Environmental History Bibliography. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Brief bibliography of environmental history, listing key sources. Items available online are linked to directly.
Associations, Organizations, Etc.
The society was founded "to promote the interest, study and research in the history of agriculture." Their journal Agricultural History, which started in 1927, is listed above.
Association of American Geographers (AAG).
There is some information available on the Web site to non-members. One section, AAG Projects for Improving Education, Professional Development, and Outreach in Geography has materials divided by: Professional and Organizational Development; Internationalization Projects; Curriculum Materials; and Outreach, although these look like promotional materials that one would need to purchase, although there are sample activities available online. Online access to journals is for members only.
Australian Forest History Society. Australian Forest History Society Inc.
Site has lists and links of and to its own selected publications, conference proceedings, Australian forest history, etc. The publications listed include out of print items (available items are linkable online), so finding some of the listings may be tricky (check your own library for holdings first; if not available, try Interlibrary Loan).
Center for Environmental History. Austria.
See links for additional Web sites; these are divided by institution, resource, and persons. Most are in German (linked to title page is English version of the page). The EHDA Environmental History Database Austria "covers relevant works on Environmental History, academic qualification work ('gray literature') and reports of current and completed research projects. At the moment EHDA contains about 1200 data sets."
The Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI).
This organization is "involved in exploring, examining, and understanding land and landscape issues." There is a Land Use Database is a "collection of source material and processed information on unusual and exemplary land use in the United States." A limited number of items from that database are available to non CLUI affiliates. Search by keyword or click on state for items related to that state; click on keywords on the right-hand side to narrow the search. Click on images to both enlarge them and obtain additional information. From detailed page click on (show on map) for satellite map location and/or additional offsite information. Browse by: Transportation, Water, Cultural, Industrial, Mining, Waste, Military, Nuclear/Radioactive, or R&D.
Centre for Environmental History and Policy. University of Stirling Research Centre for Environmental History and Policy
See menu drop-down "Resources" for a few short reports and links to relevant topics (books and articles empty on 7-3-8). From a U.K. research center.
Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units National Network (CESU).
CESU is "a network of cooperative units established to provide research, technical assistance, and education to resource and environmental managers." A map of the U.S. shows what areas each of the 18 units cover. Each unit has its own Web site. The few CESU materials and Administrative resources available online are brochures, fact sheets, reports and other items.
Institute for Environmental History (about).
See list of resources and links under the AHRC Centre for Environmental History.
International Water History Association.
Click on links for a lengthy list of water-related associations, foundations, etc. Web sites.
Public Works Historical Society.
"The mission of the Society is to enhance the planning and management of public works programs, and to promote public understanding and appreciation of the role of public works in the growth and development of civilization." See Publications for online material (annotated links). The How-to guide for chapter historians is almost 13MB, so be warned if your computer connection is slow.
Environmental History Web Sources
At the Forefront of Conservation: The History of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in conserving Our Nation's Resources. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center.
The Conservation Archives is a "Collection of Conservation Images and Artifacts From the Fish and Wildlife Service." There does not appear to be all that much available online.
Environmental History. Fred Milton on behalf of the European Society for Environmental History. WWW Virtual Library.
Arranged by Organisations, Research Centres, Projects and networks, Journals, Teaching resources, Personal websites, and Geographical (Africa, Australia, Finland, Germany, and New Zealand). The site is maintained by someone in the UK, thus the spellings of organization and centers.
Environmental History Network (Australian & New Zealand). The Fenner School of Environment and Society. © The Australian National University.
News, definitions, networked community of interested parties, and links & resources (online).
The Environmental History of Africa. James C. McCann. African Studies Center, Boston University, in cooperation with others.
Internet/CD Course. Of most interest to the researcher not in the course are the introductory essay, the reading list (books, articles, working papers, and films & videos), topic outlines (click on "topic #" in blue rectangle for outline), and images (just a few per topic--they go back and forth with the topic outlines).
Environmental History on the Internet. Jessica Teisch and others. Supports work of Carolyn Merchant. University of California, Berkeley.
Simple listing with name of site and URL. However, divided into categories: Introduction to the Field of Environmental History; Environmental History Societies and Related Associations; Environmental History Resources (umbrella sites); Environmental History Teaching Resources; Sample Course Syllabi in North American Environmental History; General Environmental Education; Online Bibliographies/Book Resources; Online Discussion Lists; Government Agencies; Environmental Organizations; Examples of Local Environmental Histories; Environmental Justice; Environmental Ethics and Philosophy; and Animal Links.
The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920. American Memory. Library of Congress.
This site "documents the historical formation and cultural foundations of the movement to conserve and protect America's natural heritage, through books, pamphlets, government documents, manuscripts, prints, photographs, and motion picture footage drawn from the collections of the Library of Congress." Primary historical resources. Search the collection or browse by subjects, authors, or titles. Scroll down on main page to browse chronologically. Selected items only.
The Forest History Society Databases. Forest History Society.
Databases are: Forest History Society Image Database, Environmental History Bibliography Database, Guide to Environmental History Archival Collections Database, Forests in Fiction Collection Catalog, and Environment of South and Southeast Asia Bibliography Database. The database's contents are described on the page.
History. National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior.
A number of reports and histories in PDF (not all work and some are actually in other formats) at least one 20+ megabytes in size (224 pages). Links on left side to Park Histories, Historical Themes, Maritime Heritage Program (this goes off of the National Park Services site), Research and Education, and Oral History. Links to the Past covers History & Culture.
History and Sustainability: Research and Resources for Environmental History and Education for Sustainable Development. Centre for History and Economics.
Use left-side menu (the green on gray is hard to read) to see an introduction, research and projects, links, and bibliographies. Annotated.
Links: Environmental History Resources. Jan Oosthoek. University of Edinburgh.
An "annotated guide of links and resources of interest for researchers, students and lecturers in environmental history and related fields." Links are arranged alphabetically. Annotations are descriptive and informative. In addition to the links to Web sites, found on the left side there are links to a brief bibliography (to brief bibliographies), an essay section with publication dates provided, podcasts, and videocasts. There is a section directed at students that has a basic and expanded reading list as well as a comparative reading list with information about environmental history from around the world. Some links on the Links page directly linked to here have "Snap Shots" visual cues to the page, indicated by an icon shown near the top of the page. An option to opt out of the Snap Shots is provided. See also Short Bibliography British Environmental History.
Links. Rocky Flats Cold War Museum.
Links are arranged by: Rocky Flats sites; Nuclear-Related Museums; DOE Nuclear Sites & History; Nuclear Weapons Data & Research, and Other Nuclear Sites. "The mission of the Rocky Flats Cold War Museum will be to document the historical, environmental, and scientific aspects of Rocky Flats, and to educate the public about Rocky Flats, the Cold War, and their legacies." The Newsletter Archive has PDF copies of newsletters from January 2007- .
Links. Western History Association. University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Links to sites of interest. There is a newsletter, available online Spring 2002- .
NiCHE. Network in Canadian History & Environment.
"NiCHE promotes new ways of supporting collaboration among Canadian environmental historians and colleagues in adjacent fields. It also works to ensure that this research is accessible to policymakers, natural scientists, and the Canadian public." Under Research there is a North American Environmental History course syllabus (see reading assignments) and summarized blog feeds to do with environmental history. Under links see links to online resources (some off-site and also at least one in French).
The Official Federal Land Records Site. General Land Office Records. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). U.S. Department of the Interior.
Requires a zip code to access. Provides "live access to Federal land conveyance records for the Public Land States. We also provide image access to more than three million Federal land title records for Eastern Public Land States, issued between 1820 and 1908. Images of Serial patents (land titles issued between 1908 and the mid-1960's) have been added to this web site. Images related to survey plats and field notes, dating back to 1810, are added to the site state-by-state as each state's documents are completed." Search land patents (search by state and name of patentee or warrantee) and surveys (search surveys by state, county, township nr. [and direction N or S], range nr. [and direction E or W], meridian, survey type, surveyor, contract/group nr.). Not all states are available. A page of Frequently Asked Questions answers what a land patent is, among other topics. An Overview: Surveys, Plats, and Field Notes page provides explanations.
Publications. American Society for Environmental History (ASEH).
ASEH News is available online in PDF from Spring 2007- . Also some information about Environmental History (see Journals above). The Web site wants to run a program, but at present one can view the PDFs without running it. Explore the site for a few other items of potential interest.
Rachel Carson Centennial Blog. Friends of the National Conservation Training Center as part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
"This blog was active during 2007 as part of the Rachel Carson 100th birthday celebration." Every month a guest moderator led a discussion of one of Carson's works. While no longer active, the comments and discussion may still be read.
Resources. European Society for Environmental History.
Links to bibliographical database project (the "ESEH bibliography is a collection of literature concerning European environmental history since 1976, comprising over 2000 titles so far") arranged by groupings of years and by year; Publications is a link to the society's Notepad Newsletter; Links has links to relevant sites, arranged by country; Listserv (H-Environment Discussion Network); and Publishers & New Publications, which has "Information about new environmental history publications and publishers."
Theodore Roosevelt Association. Conservationist: Life of Theodore Roosevelt.
"According to the National Geographic, the area of the United States placed under public protection by Theodore Roosevelt, as National Parks, National Forests, game and bird preserves, and other federal reservations, comes to a total of approximately 230,000,000 acres." Links show lists of areas created by Roosevelt: 150 National Forests, 51 Federal Bird Reservations, 4 National Game Preserves, 5 National Parks, 18 National Monuments, 24 Reclaimation Projects, 7 Conservation Conferences and Commissions, and As Governor of New York.
U.S. Agricultural History: A Guide to Information Sources. Rebecca Mazur. Research and Reader Services, National Agricultural Library.
Arranged by: Introduction; Guides to the Literature; Organizations; Chronologies; Library Catalogs: Printed and Online, by Location; Bibliographies, by Subject; Reference Shelf; Indexes and Abstracts; Periodicals; Books, by Subject, 1999-2005; and Electronic Resources. Check library catalog SAGE for CSU's holdings of listed materials.
Western Waters Digital Library. Greater Western Library Alliance. (Colorado State University is a member.)
"The Western Waters Digital Library (WWDL) contains government reports, classic water literature, legal transcripts, water project records, personal papers, photographic collections, and video materials about the Columbia, Colorado, Platte, and Rio Grande river basins." Search text, images, video, audio, or all formats. Browse by category: subject, people, places, or signature collections; or collection guide--the guides have descriptive text available online. Under Other resources find more information about a few of the collections and also links to other water Web sites. There is an advanced search option.
News and Resources currently found on the home page has links to information grouped by: Renewable Energy, Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, Transportation and Urban Issues, Fossil Fuels, Electricity, Nuclear, Hydrogen, and General/Other. A number of items on the site are available only after being purchased.
Projects: Spatial, Modeling
AIMES Activities. Analysis, Integration and Modeling of the Earth System. UCAR. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
"AIMES is the new International Geosphere Biosphere Programmes Earth System modeling project that builds on the foundation from the previous GAIM Task Force. The goal of AIMES is to integrate human processes with the physical and biological dynamics in Earth System models."
Spatial History Project. Stanford University.
"The project brings together scholars working on projects at the intersection of geography and history using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in their research." A few of these are available directly on the site. Project descriptions are provided. Visualizations give a brief overview. This looks like a project that is just starting to take off.
Environmental Health and Policy Issues
See Environmental Health Research Guide. Cindy Mitchell. CSU Libraries.
See Environmental Policy Issues. Doug Ernest and Allison Level. CSU Libraries.
As in all research, be sure to evaluate what you find, be it an article, book, or Web page.
Content: Mark Fiege & Naomi Lederer