Moving Natures: Mobility and the Environment in Canadian History

Moving Natures shows how mobility the movements of people, things and ideas, as well as their associated cultural meanings has been a key factor in shaping Canadians' perceptions of and interactions with their country. Approaching the burgeoning field of environmental history in Canada through the lens of mobility reveals some of the distinctive ways in which Canadians have come to terms with the country's climate and landscape.The collection spans Canada's diverse regions over a broad timespan, from the closing of the age of sail in the late nineteenth century to the contemporary era of Walmart and just-in-time delivery. Chapter topics range from the impact of seasonal climactic conditions on different transportation modes, to the environmental consequences of building mobility corridors and pathways, and the relationship between changing forms of mobility with tourism and other recreational activities. The contributors employ traditional archival sources as well as historical geographic information systems (HGIS), qualitative and quantitative analysis and critical theory.