The Council believes that the Report establishes the following 

 propositions : — 



1. That it is possible to create forests in the Highlands, even 



in districts where the economic conditions appear most 

 adverse, without seriously impairing existing sources of 

 wealth. 



2. That afforested areas will, even in the early stages of the 



movement, gain greatly in employment and population. 



3. That the actual work of planting can and ought to be 



cautiously begun as soon as the progress of the Survey 

 justifies the selection of definite areas. 



The Council does not underrate the necessity for forest 

 education, and most heartily welcomes the steps which the 

 Government is now preparing to take in that direction ; but it 

 believes that there will be a great waste of time and public 

 money if the Survey and the first comparatively simple stages 

 of afforestation are delayed until the educational machine has 

 turned out a new race of experts. 



The cost of printing this Report and certain out-of-pocket 

 expenses have been defrayed by the Royal Scottish Arboricultural 

 Society, but otherwise the undertaking has been from beginning 

 to end a labour of love. It is impossible to enumerate all those 

 who have assisted Lord Lovat and Captain Stirling in its 

 preparation and revision, but the thanks of the Council are 

 specially due to Dr Nisbet, Dr Borthwick, Mr Dawson, Mr 

 Stebbing, Mr Munro Ferguson, Lochiel, Captain Ellice, The 

 Countess of Seafield, Colonel Baillie, Mr Bailey of Invergloy, 

 Mr Grant of Glenmoriston, Mr Gilbert Brown, Mr Mackenzie, 

 Mr Garrioch and Mr Galloway. 



The following members of the Council, and others, recorded 

 valuable suggestions on the proofs : — Mr J. F. Annand, Dr 

 Borthwick, Sir K. J. Mackenzie, Mr J. D. Crozier, Captain Ellice, 

 Right Hon. R. C. Munro Ferguson, Mr Robert Forbes, Mr 

 Galloway, Mr Gammell, Mr A. T. Gillanders, Mr G. U. 

 Macdonald, Mr Frank Scott and Dr Somerviile. 



May 191 1. 



