Forestry and rural development in Europe: an exploration of socio-political discourses

A major part of the territory of the European Union consists of rural areas, and consequently considerable attention is given to a European policy on rural development. Forestry is increasingly recognised as one of the activities to be considered in such development. However, there are different opinions about how forestry can best contribute to rural development. This is due to both the various meanings attributed to the concepts of rurality and rural development, and the changing perceptions about the precise role of forestry. In the past, most attention was focused on the primary production function of forests in order to stimulate the economic advancement of rural areas. At present, the role of forestry is gradually changing, with increasing attention being given to its ecological and amenity services. This paper explores the different perceptions on the role of forestry by means of a tentative identification of different discourses. First, the different meanings of rurality and rural development are reviewed. Rural areas may be characterised either by empirical, socio-cultural or spatial parameters, or through social representations. Such a social representation can be considered as ‘symbolic shorthand’ for giving meaning to a specific area. It is expressed through discourse. Five ideal, typical discourses on rural development are identified, i.e. the agri-ruralist, the hedonist, the utilitarian, the community sustainability and the nature conservation discourses. Secondly, the perceived role of forestry within each discourse is identified in four different types of rural areas, varying from remote rural areas to areas adjacent to urban agglomerations.