Environmental history in southern Africa has only recently come into its own as a distinct field of historical inquiry. While natural resources lie at the heart of all environmental history, the field opens the door to a wide range of inquiries, several of which are pioneered in this collection.

South Africa’s Environmental History offers a series of local and particular studies followed by more general commentary and comparative studies.

The contributors include Sean Archer, William Beinart, Jane Carruthers, Beverley Ellis, Bill Guest, Nancy Jacobs, Elna Kotze, John Lambert, Gregory H. Maddox, John McAllister, John McNeill, S. Ravi Rajan, Jabulani Sithole, Georgina Thompson, Lance van Sittert, and Harald Witt.

Stephen Dovers is a senior fellow at the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at the Australian National University in Canberra.

Ruth Edgecombe was a professor of historical studies at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.

Bill Guest has recently retired as professor of historical studies at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.