[99 percent of history].

Area of Science:

• Environmental history as an emerging academic discipline.
• Interdisciplinary research connecting history, science, and environmental studies.

Context:

• Traces the development of environmental history from 19th-century natural sciences and geography.
• Highlights key scholars like Alfred Crosby, Carolyn Merchant, and Donald Worster.
• Situates environmental history within a broader history of science, referencing figures from John Evelyn to Alexander von Humboldt.

Purpose:

• To outline the historical trajectory and foundational elements of environmental history.
• To demonstrate the field's intellectual lineage and key contributions.
• To underscore the relevance of historical environmental research for contemporary issues.

Summary:

• Reviews the historiography of environmental history, including the Annales school and Western US history.
• Examines seminal works and the tradition of environmental description in natural sciences.
• Connects historical environmental studies to the history of science, from the 17th century onward.

Impact:

• Emphasizes the growing importance of environmental history as a distinct field of research.
• Suggests that historical perspectives on nature are crucial for current and future environmental policy.
• Highlights the interdisciplinary nature of environmental history and its implications for biodiversity and conservation.