A History Of Irish Forestry

The accepted view of Irish woodlands is that Ireland was covered in trees until the English came and chopped them down. While admirable in its brevity, this interpretation is inadequate regarding the actual management of Irish forests from the later Gaelic era to the close of the 18th century. This book focuses on the fundamentally pragmatic and commercial view of trees adopted by much of Gaelic civilization, as well as the attempts of the various Anglo-Irish administrations to introduce more conservative woodland practices. By the late 17th century, the re-afforestation of Ireland had become a paramount badge of respectability for Irish landowners and gave rise to a distinctive body of landscape design and painting, exemplified by the works of Thomas Roberts and William Ashford. *** "Everett's latest book...illuminates the culture, economy, and politics of a nation by examining the natural landscape and human interaction with it....exhaustively researched and lucidly written....a must for any academic library...Essential." - Choice, Vol. 52, No. 10, June 2015 *** Selected for the annual CHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles list for 2015 in the field of Botany. [Subject: History, Irish Studies, Forest Management]

Forestry in Ireland has never been so contentious. It is the subject of protests outside parliament and angry call-in radio shows. Over the last century the area of Irish woodland has increased tenfold, mostly through the planting of imported conifer species: government policy is to plant more trees to supply industry and to tackle climate change, both urgent priorities. But there has been a backlash from farmers, local communities, environmentalists and EU regulators. The rate of new planting has plummeted. And the reality is that up to one-third of the new plantations are failed forests that should never have been planted in the first place. So how did we end up in this peculiar situation? Island of Woods takes a sweeping historical view, tracing the history of Irish forests over the last 10,000 years. It examines the state of Irish forestry today and sketches a way forward for our woods that balances commercial, environmental and social goals - a vision of a different type of forestry that could transform the Irish landscape and re-establish a genuine tree culture in the country. This comprehensive and engaging overview of the history of Irish forestry relates historical events to present-day concerns and controversies, drawing out general themes that echo throughout the centuries. It will appeal to anyone who cares about the Irish landscape and environment.

This title covers the history of Ireland's woodland, the different types of native trees and forests as well as the folklore, superstitions, place-names and traditional uses made of the native wood in different parts of the country. The final chapter addresses the future of the trees and forests, how they are run and who protects them and the plans for future development.

From Gaelic annals and medieval poetry to contemporary Irish literature, A History of Irish Literature and the Environment examines the connections between the Irish environment and Irish literary culture. Themes such as Ireland's island ecology, the ecological history of colonial-era plantation and deforestation, the Great Famine, cultural attitudes towards animals and towards the land, the postcolonial politics of food and energy generation, and the Covid-19 pandemic - this book shows how these factors determine not only a history of the Irish environment but also provide fresh perspectives from which to understand and analyze Irish literature. An international team of contributors provides a comprehensive analysis of Irish literature to show how the literary has always been deeply engaged with environmental questions in Ireland, a crucial new perspective in an age of climate crisis. A History of Irish Literature and the Environment reveals the socio-cultural, racial, and gendered aspects embedded in questions of the Irish environment.