The location of Charlottetown ........................... 36

The location of roads .................................. 36

Economic and social factors ................................... 37

The land ownership system ............................ 37

Social factors ....................................... 38

Factors operating at the farm level ....................... 39

Conclusion .................................................... 39 Forest clearance for roads ........................................... 41 Forest clearance for other reasons .................................... 43 Forest clearance on the site of Charlottetown ...................... 43

Forest clearance to create fire-breaks ............................ 43

Forest clearance for pest and predator control ..................... 44

THE METHODS OF FOREST CLEARANCE

The standard method of forest clearance ............................... 44 An alternative method: girdling trees ................................... 47 The direct use of fire in clearing ....................................... 47 The clearing of other forest-types ..................................... 48

THE EFFECTS OF FOREST CLEARANCE

The overall effect of clearing on the forest ............................... 48 The landscape effects of forest clearance ............................... 49 Forest clearance and the water cycle .................................. 51 Forest clearance and climate change .................................. 51 ‘WOOD PASTURING’ OF LIVESTOCK .............................................. 52 FOREST FIRE The legacy of the French period fires .................................. 54 Forest fires in the British period ...................................... 56 Forest fires in action ................................................ 57 The effects of forest fires ............................................ 57 The spatial distribution of fires and burned land .......................... 58 The ‘burnt woods’ in the landscape .................................... 60 Some ecological points about fire ..................................... 61

THE UTILISATION OF FOREST MATERIALS:

HOUSES AND BUILDING MATERIALS

The trees used for building materials .................................. 62 The log house .................................................... 63 The trees used in log houses ......................................... 65 The frame house .................................................. 67 Conclusion ....................................................... 68

FENCES AND FENCING MATERIALS

Early pioneer fences ............................................... 69 Pole or rail fences ................................................ 70 The trees used in fencing ............................................ 71 The amount of wood required for fencing ................................ 72 Was the fencing requirement able to be met? ............................ 73 Hedges as field boundaries .......................................... 75

The effects of the extraction of fence materials on the forest: some conclusions . 76

FIREWOOD The supply of firewood ............................................. 77

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