The sound of crashing timber: Moving to an ecological sociology

Abstract

Jobs versus X species controversies have been analyzed from several perspectives, such as social construction of nature. None consider the ecosystem conditions or the consequences for other ecosystem uses and users if jobs win over X. To broaden analysis, this article proposes an ecological sociology (ES), with ecosystems and social systems being treated as intertwined entities. An ES would consider all human uses made of an ecosystem and their biophysical as well as socioeconomic effects. Three ES strategies are outlined: (1) social consequences through ecological links: how one group's use of an ecosystem affects others’ uses through biophysical links; (2) feedback consequences through ecological links: how a group's use of an ecosystem germinates its own seeds for change through biophysical linkages; and (3) anticipating potential changes through markers: selecting biophysical and socioeconomic indicators for tracking changes over time of ecosystem conditions and related socioeconomic structures. Illustrations come from the Pacific Northwest old‐growth forest conflict.

Key words:

• biological markers
• biophysical linkages
• complexity
• ecological conditions
• ecological sociology
• environmental controversy
• logging occupations
• Pacific Northwest
• social indicators
• social system
• timber industry
• Pacific Northwest