On the evening of April 8th, we had a very interesting talk at MUCBO with Germain Hello-Laprérie, a researcher from the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris and Ghent University. Around twenty people attended, showing great interest and asking many questions at the end.
Hello-Laprérie spoke about his research into the impact of military conflicts from the 16th to the 19th centuries on the forests of northwestern Europe. By studying thousands of charcoal fragments found in old military camps, he has been able to trace how armies exploited nearby wood resources and how this affected ecosystems.
It was a fascinating way to uncover how war has left its mark on our natural environment, and how the combination of archaeology and history helps us better understand the past.
Thank you to everyone who attended!
