REPORT OF DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON IRISH FORESTRY. 27 



In Part I. of the Report it is explained that, so far as 

 could be satisfactorily ascertained, the area of woodland in 

 Ireland was, in 1907, 306,661 acres, or 1-5 per cent, of the 

 total area of the country, the smallest percentage of any 

 country in Europe except Iceland. The percentage is com- 

 pared with the 5-3 per cent, in England, 4*6 per cent, in 

 Scotland, and 3-9 per cent, in Wales; while on the Continent 

 the percentages are, among others, for France 17, for Germany 

 26, for Hungary 27, and for Austria 32. In Ireland, the 

 area is said to be slowly shrinking, while the quality of the 

 wood is deteriorating, largely in consequence of the operation 

 of the Land Acts. It was shown that the breaking up of 

 large estates under those Acts naturally had the effect of 

 lessening the interest of landlords in keeping up their wood- 

 lands ; and that, even in estates purchased by the Commissioners, 

 they cannot in practice buy the woods on any terms that would 

 be satisfactory to the landlords, or if they bought them, keep 

 them. The result, therefore, of recent legislation, has been that 

 forests are being cut down and the material sold, while no 

 steps are being taken for restocking. Even the shelter-belts, 

 so valuable for agriculture, are disappearing. 



In Part II. are discussed the effects of forest denudation on 

 the industries of the country, the chief among such industries 

 being the manufactures of chairs, carts, coaches, furniture, 

 packing boxes, bobbins, spools, toolheads, etc., together with 

 the supplies of the building trade and the railways. The 

 evidence went to show that almost everywhere an early 

 cessation of business is to be expected owing to the supply 

 of the raw material giving out. The obvious remedy is for 

 the State to take measures to save the existing woodlands, and 

 to ensure a sufficient area of forest worked upon a proper 

 financial basis. 



In Part III. are considered the arguments for a scheme of 

 afforestation. The defects in recent land legislation described 

 in Parts I. and II. are considered to have made a change 

 an urgent matter. The Commissioners considered that on 

 the disappearance of the landlord, the State or some 

 public authority must take over his duties in respect to 

 woods, and step in to manage them ; and it should at 

 the same time provide for dealing with mountain and other 

 so-called waste land, which is being sold with estates, and of 



