ABSTRACT
Before the clearances of Neolithic and earlier Mesolithic peoples, virtually all of Europe was afforested up to the limit of tree growth on mountains. On poorer soils and difficult terrain farming has never completely eliminated the tree cover, exploitation systems having evolved which integrate the use of the woods for timber and grazing with pastures, hayfields and some arable in the open clearings. The forest was pushed back steadily to produce more and more small fields, with the trees becoming confined to copses and field boundary hedges. These bocage landscapes, which are particularly characteristic of southern England and north-west France, retain much of the biodiversity of the forest in more open, woodpasture-like environments which are more congenial to most people. It is these Arcadian, multifunctional landscapes with high biodiversity and amenity which have come to epitomize our concept of the good life in the countryside and many are increasingly maintained by hobby farmers.
