From the perspective of environmental history, this article aims to explore the importance and impact of timber as a forest resource in the construction of naval ships during the Qing period. The Qing Dynasty is acknowledged as the last imperial dynasty in Chinese history. The 'dragon navy' of the Qing Dynasty was organized into two fleets: the Eight Banners, and the Green Standard. The most typical types of ships built during the Qing period included the Fujian sailing ship (fu chuan), the delegation ship (feng zhou), the two-masted ship (ju chuan), and the 'Tong'an suo chuan'. Timber played a crucial role as the primary material in the construction of naval ships during the Qing period. Timber supplied from forests and mountainous areas established connections between maritime and forestry in the Qing Empire. Timber varieties such as camphor trees, Chinese pine, Chinese fir, and ironwood were predominantly utilized in the construction of naval ships. Moreover, the supply and use of timber in naval shipbuilding were also regularly managed by the Qing Dynasty. During the Qing period in China, deforestation emerged as a significant issue, leading to a timber shortage for shipbuilding. Consequently, various measures were proposed to address the timber shortage and promote afforestation.
