Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape
Subfossil trees in growth position and their associated organic sediments serve as valuable archives of past ecologies, shedding light on coastal forest responses to post-Glacial sea-level rise. This paper offers an overview of the significance of drowned forests as both ecological and cultural reco...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/256 |
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| author | Ingrid Ward David R. Guilfoyle Doc (Ronald) Reynolds |
| author_facet | Ingrid Ward David R. Guilfoyle Doc (Ronald) Reynolds |
| author_sort | Ingrid Ward |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Subfossil trees in growth position and their associated organic sediments serve as valuable archives of past ecologies, shedding light on coastal forest responses to post-Glacial sea-level rise. This paper offers an overview of the significance of drowned forests as both ecological and cultural records, with particular emphasis on Australian Indigenous connections to these landscapes. Indigenous use of and cultural connections to coastal trees and forests in Australian contexts are outlined, along with an overview of the formation and preservation processes of submerged forests and the methodological approaches used to study them. Case studies from across Australia illustrate the diversity of these records and their relevance to both science and heritage. The paper highlights the need for a regional database of subfossil trees and peats and underscores the importance of integrating Indigenous and scientific knowledge systems to deepen our understanding of environmental and cultural change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-abe0d02fd058458cb440d1ebd9e9bf80 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2571-9408 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heritage |
| spelling | doaj-art-abe0d02fd058458cb440d1ebd9e9bf802025-08-20T02:45:52ZengMDPI AGHeritage2571-94082025-06-018725610.3390/heritage8070256Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal LandscapeIngrid Ward0David R. Guilfoyle1Doc (Ronald) Reynolds2Independent Researcher, Shenton Park, WA 6008, AustraliaEsperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC), Esperance, WA 6450, AustraliaEsperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (ETNTAC), Esperance, WA 6450, AustraliaSubfossil trees in growth position and their associated organic sediments serve as valuable archives of past ecologies, shedding light on coastal forest responses to post-Glacial sea-level rise. This paper offers an overview of the significance of drowned forests as both ecological and cultural records, with particular emphasis on Australian Indigenous connections to these landscapes. Indigenous use of and cultural connections to coastal trees and forests in Australian contexts are outlined, along with an overview of the formation and preservation processes of submerged forests and the methodological approaches used to study them. Case studies from across Australia illustrate the diversity of these records and their relevance to both science and heritage. The paper highlights the need for a regional database of subfossil trees and peats and underscores the importance of integrating Indigenous and scientific knowledge systems to deepen our understanding of environmental and cultural change.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/256drowned forestsIndigenous connectionscoastal inundationsea-level risesubmerged landscapespaleoecology |
| spellingShingle | Ingrid Ward David R. Guilfoyle Doc (Ronald) Reynolds Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape Heritage drowned forests Indigenous connections coastal inundation sea-level rise submerged landscapes paleoecology |
| title | Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape |
| title_full | Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape |
| title_fullStr | Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape |
| title_full_unstemmed | Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape |
| title_short | Echoes of the Past: Drowned Forests and Indigenous Cultural Connections in Inundated Coastal Landscape |
| title_sort | echoes of the past drowned forests and indigenous cultural connections in inundated coastal landscape |
| topic | drowned forests Indigenous connections coastal inundation sea-level rise submerged landscapes paleoecology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/8/7/256 |
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