Misreading the African landscape
Subtitle: society and ecology in a forest-savanna mosaic
By: James Fairhead and Melissa Leach ; with the research collaboration of Dominique Millimouno and Marie Kamano.
Contributors: Leach, Melissa.
Series: African studies series ; 90
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 1996
Place of publication: Cambridge ; New York
Number of pages: 354
Subjects: Environmental policy -- Guinea -- Kissidougou (Region); Forest ecology -- Guinea -- Kissidougou (Region); Human ecology -- Guinea -- Kissidougou (Region); Landscape assessment -- Guinea -- Kissidougou (Region); Savanna ecology -- Guinea -- Kissidougou (Region); Kissidougou (Guinea : Region) -- Environmental conditions
Description: Islands of dense forest in the savanna of 'forest' Guinea have long been regarded by both scientists and policy-makers as the last relics of a once more extensive forest cover, degraded and degrading fast due to its inhabitants' land use. Through meticulous use of historical sources, and an investigation of inhabitants' technical knowledge and practices, James Fairhead and Melissa Leach question these entrenched assumptions.

They show, on the contrary, how people have created forest islands around their villages, and how they have turned fallow vegetation more woody, so that population growth has implied more forest, not less. They also consider the origins, persistence and consequences of a century of erroneous policy.

. Interweaving historical, social anthropological and ecological data, this unique study advances a novel theoretical framework for ecological anthropology, forcing a radical re-examination of some central tenets in each of these disciplines.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 314-347) and index.

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