Exploring Qualitative Methods of Historical Ecology and Their Links With Qualitative Research

Abstract

A review of the historical ecology literature led us to the realization that there was an important gap in terms of recognized methodological procedures and techniques. Contributions along these lines are sparse. However, some publications (book chapters and papers), some of them case studies, contain methodological material of great interest. Therefore, all these materials needed to be gathered together and put in a historical ecology methodological context. With this in mind, this article focuses on the methods employed to date in historical ecology when working with qualitative and graphic materials. In addition, it incorporates an exploration of the links between these methods and those used in general in qualitative research. Historical ecology requires source criticism methods (a source critical approach which offers guidelines for both source and source reliability assessment) and time line–based methods for landscape change. Some of the techniques used in historical ecology, but not originate from it, are presented (historical maps, photointerpretation, repeat photography, and oral history). The methodological links between historical ecology and qualitative research are then explored, and, finally, a method for text analysis (thematic networks) is presented.