6(3 Distribution of Chief Forms of Vegetation 



in Wales the alluvial plains of the larger rivers and the 

 valley sides up to similar altitudes ; in Scotland the great 

 central lowland plain^ the flat shores of the northern firths 

 on the east coast, and the sides of the valleys running 

 into the heart of the Highlands j in Ireland presumably 

 the central plain and the hill country up to a considerable 

 altitude. 



We are justified in making these statements by the 

 climatic conditions that obtain in these areas, conditions 

 which bring them well within the natural forest region 

 of north-west Europe, and by the widespread and abun- 

 dant evidence of the remains of trees in the peat which 

 covers, in the west and north, large tracts of the country 

 indicated above. 



Not only therefore has practically all the arable and 



"permanent grassland " been taken from the 

 of forest original forest area, but much also of the 



so-called "natural pasture," heathland and 

 moorland, has been derived from forest. A human com- 

 munity, directly it passes into the first stages of civilisation 

 and increases numerically, is the natural and inevitable 

 enemy of the tree-communities of the countries it inhabits. 

 Man cuts down trees for building his houses and for his 

 firing, to make room for his crops, and to make new 

 pasture for his flocks and herds. These in their turn 

 by browsing in the woods eat off the tree seedlings, and 

 may thus prevent the rejuvenation of the woods and cause 

 their eventual death. It has been pointed out that " the 

 western sea-board of France, the British Isles, Flanders, 

 Holland, Sohleswig-Holstein, and Denmark are practically 

 the most poorly wooded portions of Europe." This is 

 attributed to the mild winters of the countries bordering 

 the Atlantic and adjacent seas, which permit of grazing 

 and browsing throughout the year\ 



^ A. C. ForbeB, The Development of British Forestry, London, 1910, 

 p. 7. 



