CHAPTER IX 



THE STATE AND PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF WOODS 



Throughout the whole of Europe about 30 per cent, of 

 the forest area is owned by the State, and nearly as 

 large a proportion by communes and corporations. The 

 remainder is in the hands of private owners, who may 

 or may not be under the necessity of maintaining it, 

 according to the regulations in force in the various 

 countries. 



In Great Britain private ownership is almost universal 

 at present, but it is unlikely that this will be always the 

 case. The acquisition of forest areas by the State is 

 being strongly urged, and is, moreover, being practised 

 to a limited extent. The purchase of Inverliever by the 

 Office of Woods, and the transfer of estate woodlands to 

 the Department of Agriculture in Ireland, are possibly 

 only the first stages in an important movement towards 

 the extension of State forestry in the United Kingdom. 



Apart from the growing feeling in favour of State 

 afforestation, municipal authorities are also dabbling in 

 forestry to a greater or less extent, and provided they 

 do not burn their fingers too badly in gaining experience, 

 may do useful work in the future. The corporations of 

 Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, etc., 

 can point to a certain expenditure of money in this 

 direction. The results as yet are small, and in some 

 cases not too encouraging, but time has not yet had 



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