Colonialism has played a significant role in shaping environmental landscapes across the world. This paper explores the complex relationship between colonial expansion and environmental change, focusing on deforestation, resource extrac-tion, agricultural transformations, and the displacement of indigenous ecological knowledge. European colonial powers often introduced exploitative land-use practices, monoculture plantations, and large-scale mining operations, leading to long-term environmental degradation. Additionally, colonial policies disrupted traditional conservation practices, altering ecosystems and biodiversity. By examining case studies from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, this study highlights the enduring ecological consequences of colonial rule and the resistance efforts of indigenous communities. Understanding the environmental history of colonialism provides insights into contemporary ecological challenges and post-colonial envi-ronmental policies.

Colonialism, Environmental Change, Indigenous Knowledge, Environmental History, Post-Colonial Studies