Life, land and sea: Socioecological transitions in Shetland

Understanding how human societies and environments have co-evolved over long time periods is critical for informing sustainable resource management today. Using the Shetland Islands, UK, as a case study, this paper applies a socioecological lens to trace changing patterns of resource use from the post-glacial period to the present. Drawing on archaeological, historical, and geographical sources, we detail Shetland's socioecological transitions through a narrative approach, followed by a four-part analytical framework that captures key patterns, processes, and legacies in land-use change. It is shown that, despite relatively limited resources, Shetland has supported communities with diverse forms of resource use, including self-sufficient communities, trade-dependent societies, significant agrarian land use, pastoral communities, fishing-based economies, and feudal land management regimes. The analysis demonstrates that many ecological challenges on the islands derive not from fixed environmental limits, but from past societal decisions and policy regimes. Three key considerations for future resource management in Shetland that emerge from this history are outlined. More broadly, we argue that a deep historical perspective highlights both vulnerabilities and adaptive possibilities, and underscores the need for governance and planning rooted in place-specific socioecological realities. Such an approach can help communities everywhere navigate uncertainty and pursue pathways that are socially just, ecologically resilient, and sustainable over the long term.