Conservation as a tool of colonialism in early twentieth-century Korea

Japanese colonial rule in Korea (1905–1945) ushered in natural resource management programs that profoundly altered access to and ownership of the peninsula’s extensive mountains and forests. Under the banner of “forest love,” the colonial government set out to restructure the rhythms and routines of agrarian life, targeting everything from home heating to food preparation. Timber industrialists, meanwhile, channeled Korea’s forest resources into supply chains that grew in tandem with Japan’s imperial sphere. These mechanisms of resource control were only fortified after 1937, when the peninsula and its forests were mobilized for total war.

In this wide-ranging study David Fedman explores Japanese imperialism through the lens of forest conservation in colonial Korea—a project of environmental rule that outlived the empire itself. Holding up for scrutiny the notion of conservation, Seeds of Control examines the roots of Japanese ideas about the Korean landscape, as well as the consequences and aftermath of Japanese approaches to Korea’s “greenification.” Drawing from sources in Japanese and Korean, Fedman writes colonized lands into Japanese environmental history, revealing a largely untold story of green imperialism in Asia.

"The arguments are lucid and the prose is highly readable."

"An excellent addition to the history of forestry and environmental governance in Korea, the Japanese empire, and wider East Asia . . . By situating the cultural, political, and economic impacts of forestry in translocal contexts, Seeds of Control illustrates the exciting potential of the expanding historiography of science and the environment and invites dialogue on the deep and lasting legacy of colonialism in environmental governance today."

"An outstanding work of scholarship that deftly weaves together diverse multilingual sources and perspectives to tell a story both relevant and accessible to scholars and (advanced) students of many disciplines and backgrounds."

"Seeds of Control is a vital book for scholars interested in the environmental history of colonial Korea, the general history of Korea, and the connected histories of wider East Asia. It is particularly vital due to its approach to vectors for imperialism or colonization, which have not been widely considered previously. Fedman's approach is rooted in a detailed examination of primary source materials, particularly those produced in Keijō by the government-general at the time, in both Japanese and English, as well as other primary material published elsewhere in the Japanese empire."

"[A] remarkable work that will surely appeal to an academic audience."

"Seeds of Control is a thought-provoking, well-written study, thoroughly grounded in both Japanese and Korean sources. It is a pleasure to read."

"[E]xcellent, detailed, and carefully composed research."

"Through its comprehensive evaluation of the successes and failures of Japan’s environmental governance, Seeds of Control speaks to the current situation in an innovative and persuasive manner, for it reveals a new horizon or internal limit for the exercise of power."

"David Fedman presents the first environmental history monograph in English detailing Japanese colonial forestry policies and practices in Korea. The book is deeply and widely researched—incorporating archival, published, and scholarly sources in Korean, Japanese, and English—and is engagingly written."

"Seeds of Control is a must-read text for anyone interested in the complexity and interplay of colonial and environmental history."

"[A] welcome contribution to the literature on Japanese colonialism and “green imperialism.” Seeds of Control is a lively and timely work. Non-specialist readers will find it approachable and informative. Specialists in Japanese and Korean history will find Seeds of Control useful to think and teach with. It is an excellent example of what environmental history can bring to the study of nation and empire in East Asia."