My research to date has focused on forest history, i.e. the changing relationships between humans and forest ecosystems over time and also people’s specific use of the forest resource from an historical perspective. In my opinion, the challenging scientific question in this field is the reconstruction of past interactions between people and forest ecosystems, and the interpretation of the long-term trends in human impact on the forest. Such research can focus on different ethnic groups, over different time perspectives and can be on a local or regional scale. The fundamental processes which are of particular interest to my research include: deforestation, reforestation, ecosystem transformation (species composition, stand structure, landscape structure) and the relationship between individuals or groups of people and forest ecosystems.

• Research
• Publications
• PhD students
• Teaching
• Master students

Research

My driving forces as a scientist are a deep interest in historical ecology, a genuine concern for biodiversity and forest conservation, and a belief that understanding historical processes in forest ecosystems is crucial for promoting sound forestry methods in the future. The principal methods I have used in my studies include dendroecology, the analysis of historical records (e.g. forest inventories, maps, forest company records, ethnological records) and, to a limited extent, palaeoecology (primarily through collaborative work). I have also worked in close collaboration with scholars and scientists from different disciplines on truly interdisciplinary research programmes. I have deliberately attempted to broaden the scope of journals in which I publish papers. These range from ecology (e.g. Journal of Ecology, Landscape Ecology, Biological Conservation and several others) and archaeology/history/ environmental history based journals (e.g. Environmental History, Antiquity, Journal of Ethnohistory and others) to forestry publications (e.g. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Forest Ecology & Management, Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research and others).

<Back>

Peer-rewieved journals

Östlund, L., Ahlberg, L., Zackrisson, O., Bergman, I. & Arno, S. (2009) Bark-peeling, food stress and tree spirits - the use of pine inner bark for food in Scandinavia and North America. Journal of Ethnobiology, accepted for publication.

Bergman, I., Liedgren, L., Östlund, L. & Zackrisson, O. (2008) Kinship and settlements: Sami residence patterns in the Fennoscandian alpine areas AD 1000. Arctic Anthropology, 45 (1) 97-110.

Berg, A., Östlund, L., Moen, J. & Olofsson, J. (2008) A century of logging and forestry in a reindeer herding area in northern Sweden. Forest Ecology and Management, 256 (5): 1009-1020.

Arno, S., Östlund, L., Keane, B (2008) Ancient Ponderosa Pines as Living Artifacts of Cultural Practices and Ecological Processes, Montana, the Magazine of Western History, 58 (1) : 55-60

Bergman, I., Östlund, L., Zackrisson, O. & Liedgren, L. (2008) Värro mourra – the landscape significance of Sami sacred wooden objects and sacrificial altars. Journal of Ethnohistory, 55 (1)1-28

Andersson, R, Östlund, L. & Kempe, G. (2008) Inventory strategies for assessing culturally modified trees in boreal Sweden. Canadian Journal of Forest Research, 38 (3) 462-469.

Bergman, I., Östlund, L., Zackrisson, O. & Liedgren, L. (2007) Ancient trails connecting economies in the sub-arctic parts of Fennoscandia. Antiquity 81: 397-408.

Liedgren, L. Bergman, I., Hörnberg, G., Zackrisson, O., Hellberg, E., Östlund, L and DeLuca, T. (2007) Radiocarbon dating of prehistoric hearths in alpine northern Sweden: problems and possibilities. Journal of Archaeological Science. 34:8 1276-1288.

Törnlund, E. & Östlund, L. (2006) Large trees, the flow of water and the timing of industrialisation – timber floating in Sweden 1850-1980. Journal of Transportation History 27(1):48-70.

Josefsson, T., Hellberg, E. & Östlund, L. (2005) Influence of habitat history on the distribution of Usnea longissima in boreal Scandinavia, a methodological case study. The Lichenologist, 37(6):555-567.

Östlund, L., Keane, B., Arno, S. & Andersson, R. (2005) Culturally scarred trees in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana USA – Interpreting Native American historical landuse in a wilderness area. Natural Areas Journal, 25(4) 315-325.

Ericsson, T.S., Berglund, H. & Östlund, L. (2005) History and biodiversity of woodland key habitats in south boreal Sweden. Biological Conservation 122:289-303.

Andersson, R., Östlund, L. & Lundqvist, R. (2005) Carved trees in grazed forests in boreal Sweden - analysis of remaining trees, interpretation of past land-use and implications for conservation. Vegetation history and Archaeobotany, 14:149-158.

Andersson, R., Östlund L., Törnlund, E. (2005) The very last European landscape to be colonized: native people, settlement processes and land use changes in the far north of Sweden 1850-1930. Environment & History, 11:293-318.

Östlund, L.,Bergman, I. & Zackrisson, O. (2004) Trees for food - a 3000 year record of subarctic plant use. Antiquity 78:278-286.

Bergman, I., Östlund, L. & Zackrisson, O. (2004) The use of plants as regular food sources in ancient boreal and subarctic economies – a case study based on the Sami use of Scots pine inner bark in northern Fennoscandia. Arctic Anthropology 41 (1):1-13

Andersson, R. & Östlund, L (2004) Spatial patterns, density changes and management implications for old trees in the boreal landscape of northern Sweden. Biological Conservation 118:443-453

Nordlind, E. & Östlund, L. (2003) Retrospective comparative analysis as a tool for ecological restoration - a case study in a Swedish boreal forest. Forestry, 76 (2):243-251.

Östlund, L. Ericsson, S., Zackrisson, O. & Andersson, R. (2003) Traces of past Saami forest use – an ecological study of culturally modified trees and earlier land-use within a boreal forest reserve. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 18:78-89.

Ericsson, S., Östlund, L. & Andersson, R. (2003) Destroying a path to the past, culturally modified trees along Allmunvägen, N Sweden. Silva Fennica, 37 (2): 283-298.

Hellberg, E., Hörnberg, G., Östlund, L. & Zackrisson, O. (2003) Vegetation dynamics and disturbance history in tree old-growth deciduous forests in boreal Sweden. Journal of Vegetation Science, 14(2): 267-276.

Törnlund, E. & Östlund, L. (2002) The Floating of Timber in Northern Sweden: Construction of Waterways and Transformation of Rivers. Environment and History 8(1):85-106

Östlund, L., Zackrisson, O. & Hörnberg, G. (2002) Trees on the border between nature and culture – Culturally modified trees in boreal Scandinavia. Environmental History 7(1):48-68.

Axelsson, A-L., Östlund, L. & Hellberg, E. (2002) Changing deciduous tree distributions in a Swedish boreal landscape, 1820-1999 – Implications for restoration strategies. Landscape Ecology 17 (5): 403-418.

Axelsson, A-L, & Östlund, L. (2001) Retrospective gap analysis in a Swedish boreal forest landscape using historical data. Forest Ecology and Management 147: 109-122

Zackrisson, O., Östlund, L., Korhonen, O., & Bergman, I. (2000) Ancient use of Scots pine innerbark by Saami in N. Sweden related to cultural and ecological factors. Journal of vegetation history and archaeobotany 9:99-109

Ericsson, S., Östlund, L. & Axelsson, A-L. (2000) A forest of grazing and logging: Deforestation and reforestation history in a central boreal Swedish landscape. New Forests:19(3):227-240

Hörnberg, G., Östlund, L. &, Zackrisson, O. (1999) The genesis of two Picea-Cladina forests in northern Sweden. Journal of Ecology 87:800-814.

Östlund, L., Zackrisson, O. & Strotz, H. (1998) Potash Production in Northern Sweden: History and ecological effects of a pre-industrial forest exploitation. Environment and History 4:345-58.

Linder, P. & Östlund, L. (1998) Structural changes in three mid-boreal Swedish forest landscapes, 1885-1996. Biological Conservation 85:9-19.

Other publications

Sandberg, L & Östlund, L (2004) Bondedagböcker som källa för kunskap om skogsarbete - en skogshistorisk analys av tre bondedagböcker från norra Sverige. Saga och Sed 2004:145-175.

Andersson, L. & Östlund, L. (2002) Kulturspår i urskogen – träd med kulturspår i och utanför ett norrländskt naturreservat. Svensk Botanisk Tidsskrift 96(1): 53-62.

Linder, P. & Östlund, L. (1992) Förändringar i norra Sveriges skogar 1870-1991. Svensk Bot. Tidskr. 86: 199-215.

Östlund, L. & Bergman, I. (2006) Cultural landscapes in northern forests –

time, space and affiliation to the land. In Agnoletti, M. (ed) Conservation of cultural landscapes. pp 30-41. CAB International, Wallingford.

Elisabeth Johann, Mauro Agnoletti, Anna-Lena Axelsson, Matthias Bürgi, Lars Östlund, Xavier Rochel, Uwe Ernst Schmidt, Anton Schuler, Jens Peter Skovsgaard, Verena Winiwarter, (2004): History of Secondary Norway Spruce in Europe. In: Norway Spruce Conversion – Options and Consequences. Heinrich Spiecker, Jörg Hansen, Emil Klimo, Jens Peter Skovsgaard, Huber Sterba, Konstantin von Teuffel (eds.) European Forest Institute Research Report 18. Brill Leiden-Boston, pp 25- 62. (ISSN 1238 8785; ISBN 90 04 13728 9).

Östlund, L. (2004) Fire, death and disorder in the forest - 150 years of change in critical ecological structures and processes in boreal Scandinavia. In: Honnay.O., Bossuyt, B., Verheyen, K., Hermy. M. Forest Biodiversity: Lessons from History for Conservation. CAB International, UK (2004).

Östlund, L. (1998) Landscape change and biodiversity crisis: A Forest history of boreal Sweden. In A. Sandberg & S. Sörlin (eds). Sustainability - the Challenge. People, Power and the Environment. Black Rose Books, Toronto.

Östlund, L. & Zackrisson, O. (2000) The history of the boreal forest in Sweden - and the sources to prove it ! In: Agnoletti, M. & Andersson (ed). Methods and Approaches in Forest History, CABI International, London

<Back>

PhD-students - supervision

PhD. students being tutored

Torbjörn Josefsson, PhD-student 2005-. His thesis focuses on development of natural and cultural values in forest reserves in northern Scandinavia and the work incorporates palaeoecology, dendrochronology and analysis of historical records. The project is financed by FORMAS, Sweden. I am the main supervisor for Torbjörn and Associate professor Greger Hörnberg at EMG, Umeå University is assistant supervisor. For methodology for tutorship se 4.6.2.2 below.

Anna Berg, PhD-student 2006-. Her thesis focuses on the relationships between reindeer herding (by the native Sami people) and forest management in northern Sweden during the last c. 100 years. I am the main supervisor for Anna and Associate professor Jon Moen at EMG, Umeå University is assistant supervisor. For methodology for tutorship se 4.6.2.2 below.

Licentiate and Doctoral Degrees

Rikard Andersson, PhD 2005. I was main supervisor and Erik Törnlund (economic history, Umeå University) was assistant supervisor. Rikard’s thesis dealt with culturally modified trees in forests in Sweden and north America, and also the protection of the cultural heritage in forests. For tutoring methods, see below.

Staffan Tysk Ericsson, PhD 2001. I was main supervisor for Staffan from the year 1999 and assistant supervisor prior to that time, professor Olle Zackrisson was assistant supervisor. Although I was not formally main supervisor until 1999, in all aspects I was the main supervisor also before that time. I designed the research project, did most of the supervision and was responsible for the grants financing the research. Staffan’s thesis dealt with cultural history of forests in central and northern Sweden. For tutoring methods, see below.

Anna-Lena Axelsson, PhD 2001. I was main supervisor for Anna-Lena from the year 1999 and assistant supervisor prior to that time, professor Olle Zackrisson was assistant supervisor. Although I was not formally main supervisor until 1999, in all aspects I was the main supervisor also before that time. I designed the research project, did most of the supervision and was responsible for the grants financing the research. Anna-Lena´s thesis dealt with historical landscape ecology in boreal forests. Her thesis work was part of an interdisciplinary research program “Kulturgräns Norr” (Cultural borders in the north), led by professor Lars-Erik Edlund, Umeå University and financed by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Fund). For tutoring methods, see below.

My methods for supervision of PhD-students include both freedom with responsibility and a very high degree of involvement in the fieldwork, laboratory work and writing of papers. I want the PhD-student to take a large responsibility for the planning of research projects and make him or her feel that it is his or her own work and not only the realization of ideas by the supervisor. At the same time I encourage a continuing discussion about all aspects of the work through regular meetings, both formal and informal. On average I have a formal meeting with each PhD-student once a month (or more often at times), where we discuss work in progress, literature and writing of papers. The preparations for these meetings include writing texts, manuscripts and PM (primarily on the part of the PhD-student) and careful reading of these texts (on my part). I always make detailed comments on texts at these occasions. Apart from these scheduled meetings I also discuss with all my PhD-students on a daily basis. I also make the effort to work together with my PhD-students in the field as often as possible, since I have a strong belief that the discussions which are initiated in the field are very important for the development of the projects. Many questions about design of studies and the interpretation of results, but also new methodology and research ideas are best discussed in the field.
<Back>

Teaching
Since commencing work on my PhD thesis in 1989, I have been actively involved in teaching. My teaching involves both lectures and regular field courses in forest and forestry history, and conservation ecology. For example, I teach students to measure different aspects of present stand structure and history of forests using a range of methods, and demonstrate how to use evaluation tools, such as increment corers. I also deliver many lectures each year to different levels of the Master’s programme in forestry. My lectures cover a wide range of issues, including the cultural history of forests, international forest history, logging and industrial forest history, conservation biology, forest fieldwork and fire history, dendrochronological applications, and ecosystem restoration. The overall aim of my teaching at the basic level of the Master’s programme at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has been to present an historical dimension to forestry and forest ecosystem management. I have been the person responsible for the integration of this theme into the Master’s programme since the mid 1990’s.

Since 1991, with the exception of 2002, I have been responsible for the planning, teaching and delivery of the ‘Forest and Forestry history’ course, offered as an undergraduate module (C-level (advanced level) 7.5 ECTS credits) on the Master of Forestry programme, based at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The course has attracted up to 45 students annually over the period 1991-2007, and provides a theoretical and practical appreciation of forest history including research methods (historical records, dendrochronology and palaeoecology). The course also covers the human history of forests, both in Sweden and elsewhere, and the development of forestry as a commercial industry.

<Back>

Master students - supervision of thesis's

Anders Öckerman (1993), (C-uppsats idéhistoria, Umeå University) Thesis title: ”Städning i skogen – om skogshygien, hyggesrensning och jägmästare”[Cleaning the forest – ”forest hygiene”and foresters]

Håkan Strotz and Jan-Erik Haggarsson (1994) Thesis title: “Pottasketillverkning i Sverige under historisk tid”[Historic potash production in Sweden]

Anette Schiemann (1996) Thesis title: ”Anweisung zum Waldbau – Tyskt inflytande över svenskt skogsbruk under 1800-talet”[German influence on Swedish forestry in the 19th century]

Martine Isaksson (1997) Thesis title: ”Naturvärden i en Värmländsk bruksskog – en skogshistorisk studie av Åbengtshöjden/Bogranghöjden” [Conservation values in a the forest of an ironworks in the county of Värmland]

Staffan Eriksson (1997) Thesis title: “Alla vill beta men ingen vill bränna – skogshistoria inom Särna-Idre besparingsskog i nordvästra Dalarna” [Everyone want grazing, but no one want to burn the forest – forest history in northwestern Dalarna]

Niklas Grundén (1997) Thesis title: “Untra – landskapsekologisk historia vid nedre Dalälven 1700-1996”[Untra – landscape history along the river Dalälven]

Malte Ekedal (1997) Thesis title: ”Vart är naturen i skärgården på väg – skogshistoria på Ängsön-Marskär i Stockholms skärgård”[Forest history on the island Ängsön-Marskär in the Stockholm archipelago]

Anders Öckerman (1997) (10 credits) Thesis title: ”Ett av Sveriges största kalas: Domänverkets 100-års jubileum 1959 och det modernistiska skogsbrukets höjdpunkt”[The 100 year celebration of the National Forest Service in Sweden in 1959]

Marie Emanuelsson (1998) (co-supervisor with Ulf Segerström) Thesis title: “Bosättning, agrarkris och fäbodväsende”[Settlement, agrarian crisis and shielings]

Per Ekman (1999) (co-supervisor with Per Linder) Thesis title: ”Nyckelbiotoper -urskogsrester eller kulturprodukter? – beståndshistorik i tolv nyckelbiotoper i Lycksele kommun”[Key-habitats – virgin forests or cultural products?]

Magnus Löfmark (2000) Thesis title: “Forest landscape change in a boreonemoral forest in central Sweden 1850-1990”

Lena Sandberg (2000) Thesis title: “Anders Andersson hade eld i sin tjärdal – en analys av Jonas Åströms dagböcker 1868-1891” [Anders Andersson had a fire in his tar pile - an analysis of a peasant diary 1868-1891]

Erik Nordlind (2001) Thesis title: “Restoration of forests in boreal Sweden – gap analysis and dead wood management at Vitberget, northern Sweden”

Lisa Ahlberg (2001) (co-supervisor with Olle Zackrisson) Thesis title: “How long does it take a ritual to build up, to take hold and become standard practice? – bark peeling in Scandinavia and North America”

Ulrika Jansson (2002) Thesis title: “Ett gammalt kulturlandskap i Vindelfjällen – skogshistoria och markutnyttjande i Vournavagge under 300 år”[An old cultural landscape in the Vindel mountains – forest history and land-use during 300 years]

Linus Lidman (2003) Thesis title: “Urskogen med de stämpelbleckade gammeltallarna – en skogshistorisk tolkning av Brännlidens naturreservat”[The virgin forest with the blazed pine trees – a forest historical analysis of Brännliden forest reserve]

Ola Holmgren (2003) Thesis title: “Från gles skog och brokiga ungskogar till homogen produktionsskog”[From sparse forest and heterogenoeus young stands to homogenous managed forest – a forest historical analysis in north eastern Västerbotten]

Maria Nilsson (2004) (10 credits) Thesis title: ”Skogsmarksutnyttjandet på Älvdalens kronopark före 1870 – en kulturhistorisk beskrivning och analys”[The historical use of the forest at Älvdalen National Forest before 1870]

Henrik Wikström (2004) Thesis title: ”Samiskt skogsutnyttjande, dimensionsavverkningar och naturvärden – skogshistorisk analys i block 5, Pakko kronopark i Norrbotten”[Sami forest use, high-grading and conservational values at section 5, Pakko National Forest in Norrbotten]

Eva Jörgensen (2005) Thesis title: “Skogen Brun – ett nedslag i västsvensk skogshistoria”[The ”Brun” Forest – forest history in western Sweden]

Torbjörn Josefsson (2005) Thesis title: “Using a spatially precise approach to analyse the occurrence of Usnea longissima in relation to present and past stand structure – a case study in boreal Scandinavia” Thesis awarded for excellency by the Swedish Forest History Society.

Kristoffer Sivertsson (2005) Thesis title: “Till synes orörd skog – naturvärden och kulturhistoria i Rekdalen under 400 år”[”Apparently virgin forest” – conservational values and cultural history in Rekdalen during the last 400 years] Thesis awarded for excellency by the Swedish Forest History Society.

Ida Hedström (2005) Thesis title: ”Skogsbristen i Smålands bruksskogar – en studie av träkolsförbrukningen vid Storebro Bruk 1793-1850”[The shortage of forests in the ironworks district in Småland 1793-1850]

Elin Qvarnström (2006) Thesis title: ”De tycka emellertid av gammal vana att det smakar gott, och tro dessutom att det är bra för hälsan - samiskt växtutnyttjande från 1600-talet fram till ca 1950”[Sami plant-use from the 17th until the mid 20th century] Thesis awarded for excellency by the Swedish Forest History Society.

Sonja Klotz (2006) thesis supervised and approved by Lars Östlund, SLU Sweden and presented at the University of Eberswalde, Germany. Thesis title: “Structural changes in a northern Swedish boreal forest since the early 20th century and the effect on lichen-availability for reindeers (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.)” Thesis awarded for excellency by the University of Eberswalde, Germany.

Alexander Ross (2008) thesis title: Ifrågavarande kronopark skall benämnas Skatan – en skogshistorisk analys av Ekoparken Skatan [A historical analysis of Ecopark Skatan] Ylva Linnman-Wänglund (2008) thesis title: How is the distribution of the epiphytic lichen Usnea longissima affected by forest structure and logging history within stands?

Ylva Linnman-Wänglund (2008) thesis title: How is the distribution of the epiphytic lichen Usnea longissima affected by forest structure and logging history within stands?

<Back>