Problems of forestry development in Ireland.

Abstract

The author identifies three main aspects of the problems of forestry development in Ireland, especially regarding poor land areas. In considering the question of how forestry policy should be judged, both at a national and regional level, five different criteria can be distinguished - the creation of employment, import-saving, the generating of economic growth and finally the recreational and tourist opportunities. The second main aspect is the application of these criteria to the task of deciding what is the optimum use of individual pieces of land. The main problem associated with this process lies in estimating the returns per acre from farming and from forestry. The third aspect is the actual rate of development of forestry in the western counties of Ireland in recent years and its effects as a stimulant to economic growth in that area...