Introduction

Nature or environment has often been understood in literature through a disjunction between it and human systems. Common to these conceptions have been that nature, environment or rural areas are not described as sites of residence or as naturalised everyday places. In this volume we take examples from what have historically been areas where much of the population has been rural, focusing on northern Europe – particularly Fennoscandia – as examples in which not only individual and group practices but also state legislation and regulation may in some cases mirror more nature-close practices. However, we also highlight ways in which regulation implemented in less integrated ways may limit local land uses. The book thus illustrates that management must be seen in the context of the established logics or practices in relation to which it is undertaken. This chapter sets the context for the multi-disciplinary book and also discusses its contribution to different fields.