The woods of Ireland : a history, 700-1800 / Nigel Everett.

Includes images of art by: William Ashford -- John James Barralet -- George Barret -- John Butts -- Anthony Chearnley -- Anthony van Dyck -- Jonathan Fisher -- Thomas Gainsborough -- Marcus Gheeraerts II -- James Gillray -- William Gilpin -- Frederick Heppenheimer -- Wenceslaus Hollar -- Giles King -- Simon Marmion -- Boucicaut Master -- William Pars -- Francis Place -- Thomas Roberts -- Paul Sandby -- Herman van Swanevelt -- William Henry Toms -- Francis Wheatley.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: a magic cloak -- The ancient forests, 700-1590 -- Planting and good husbandry, 1590-1603 -- Planters and preservers -- The king's woods, 1603-40 -- Destruction and devastation, 1641-60 -- The propagation of timber, 1660-1700 -- Reclaiming Ireland, 1700-60 -- Hostile nations, 1760-1800 -- Fair freedom's tree -- Demesne portraits -- Conclusion: use and exploitation.

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. The author focuses on the fundamentally pragmatic and commercial view of trees adopted by much of Gaelic civilization, and the attempts of the various Anglo-Irish administrations to introduce more conservative woodland practices.