62 Nature protected 
Government. According to a 
report of the Ofifice of Woods, Forests, 
and Land Revenues, about fourteen 
State Forest Reservations exist. 
For instance, the Forest of Dean 
in the western part of the county of 
Gloucester comprises 24,000 acres, of 
which the wooded area occupies about 
18,500 acres. The crown is entitled 
to keep enclosed an area of 11,000 
acres against all rights of common 
over the surface; but, in 1896, the 
area actually enclosed was not more 
than 4,600 acres, the remaining 13,900 
being open woodland. During the 
greater part of the eighteenth century, 
the forest was managed with a view to 
growing oak for the navy. With the 
introduction of ironclads, the demand 
for navy timber ceased ; and the crown 
was left with a crop that was immature, 
a good deal of which had been injured 
by the throwing open of the enclosures 
