THE MANAGEMENT OF EPPING FOREST.
55
the Conservators. In describing what was seen, it may be well to quote from
the report by the editor of "The Essex Times," which is in the main a fair
account, and which, appearing in a paper at first strongly inclined to condemn
the action of the Conservators, cannot be accused of partiality:—"It was found
that a considerable number of trees had been cut down here—some of them trees
of no mean size—but it was generally agreed that the thinning actually done had
been by no means so rigorous as the outcry in some of the London papers had
led people to suppose. And at every stump Mr. Buxton was able to impart to
inquirers a full statement of the reasons for choosing to remove that particular
tree. In some cases it was obvious that the tree which had been removed ha 1
begun to affect injuriously a finely-grown tree near it—or, in one instance at
least, two trees. Some had been cut down because they were disseminating
disease. And in fact for every considerable tree that had been cut down, there
was a good reason to give. But none was given for the denuding of the slopes,
which at one time bore a large number of beech saplings ; nobody put any
questions on this, and it therefore remained unexplained. The saplings on the
slopes, the thorns and hornbeams along the course of the rivulet at the bottom,
used to lend a peculiar loveliness to this part of the wood. Their removal leaves
the view unobstructed right across the valley and into the heart of the wood on
the further slope.1 Doubtless the saplings could not have been left for ever; but
a grace has departed from the wood, and we must wait three or four years before
we can quite see the effect of the present 'forestal operations.' There were many
members of the party who were not disposed to approve what had been done,
though they were certainly the minority ; and they had their confidence shaken
in the next minute or two. By an excellently planned walk the party was taken
in the next minute into the thick of a patch of pollard trees, which had been left
unthinned. Short, shabby, scrubby, indescribably mean and ugly they were—
something like very warty railway sleepers with a shock head of twigs. The
contrast was dramatic. From that moment the Conservators' case was won.
Other parts of the wood were visited, and everywhere Mr. Buxton gave detailed
explanations, as to which it must be sufficient to say that they proved that no
tree was cut down without great and careful consideration. But nothing could
add to the effect produced by the rapid transformation scene we have just
described."
Judging from our own knowledge of the past and present of the woods, and
from the remarks of those present, many of whom came to the meeting with
minds somewhat biassed by what they had read in the papers, we think that the
observations made in the report in "The Essex County Chronicle" very well and
truthfully sum up the position : "If we were asked to state the sum and sub-
stance of our conclusions upon the examination of the Forest, we should say at
once that we think there has scarcely been any justification for the fierce attack
which has been made upon the Verderers. It may be that here and there a tree
has been cut down which should have been allowed to stand, but it was impos-
sible not to see that on the whole the work of thinning had become highly
necessary, has been carried out upon intelligible and sensible principles, and will
tend to the preservation, beauty, and public uses of the Forest. At various
points en route Mr. E. N. Buxton, in his capacity as a verderer, explained what
1 Mr. Buxton informs us that this is a complete misapprehension, no saplings whatever have
been removed in Monk Weed, nor any thorns or hornbeams, excepting a small number of pollard
hornbeams at the end of the weed towards Broad Streed Ledge, and these were all of a very
inferior character.—Ed.