The End of the Montello Woodland: Institutional Change, Economic Transformation and Rural Conflict in Late Nineteenth-Century Italy

The article explores the reciprocal interaction of administrative and economic modernisation in shaping nineteenth-century forest landscapes and governance. The research focuses on the Montello woodland in northeastern Italy, considered a strategic state asset throughout the early-modern period due to the abundance of oaks essential for shipbuilding. Economic, institutional, and social changes in the late nineteenth century brought this system into crisis. Escalating conflicts between state authorities and the local population during that period also led to the degradation of the woodland. This work investigates the socio-ecological implications of state-building and industrialisation through an analysis of documentation produced by key actors involved in the management and use of the Montello area. Methodologically, this research argues that understanding similar global phenomena requires localised case studies that illuminate the complex interplay of dynamics at work on the ground.