Clearings could only be made by permission even on the part of private owners. The methods of sale and harvest were determined. The prescriptions of older ordinances were renewed to the effect that at least 13 to 16 seed trees (baliveaux) per acre in the coppice, and 8 seed trees in timber forest, were to be reserved in all forests without exception. Private owners were not to cut these seed trees before they were 40 years old in the coppice, and 120 years in the timber forest, while in the public and church forests these seed trees were treated like reserves. Similarly, the prescription that no woods were to be cut before 10 years of age was revived from former ordinances, the time later (1787) being increased for public forests to 25 years. Also the obligation to keep one-fourth of the forest in reserve, which Charles IX had decreed in 1560, was renewed for the public forests (those belonging to corporations and other public institutions). For the fir forests of the mountains, which had become important as furnishers of ship masts, special regulations were issued, and the mast timber reserved for the crown.
There was lively opposition to the enforcement of these prescriptions, especially where they interfered with property rights, nevertheless they persisted until the changes brought about by the revolution of 1789.
Certain prescriptions, as for instance the exclusion of sheepherding were never enforced, and this practice continues even to-day in certain sections.
As a result of the reform, however, the revenues from the royal forests trebled in 20 years.
During the 18th century, several famines occurred and led to the encouragement of extending farm operations at the expense of the forest, notably in the sixties, when among other similar efforts some 200 families returning from Canada after the English conquest were colonized in the forests of Poitou. At that time, also the “declaration” of 1766 exempted those who cleared land for farm purposes for 15 years from all taxes. As a result of this invitation some 750,000 acres were cleared, and the practice of clearing for farm use continued until the middle of the 19th century. In this way, by inconsiderately exposing soil which would not everywhere be found adapted to farm use, wastes naturally existing were greatly increased.
The revolution brought with it sudden and disastrous changes. The law of 1791 abolished not only the jurisdiction of the maîtrises, but removed all restraint, and thereby inaugurated widespread destruction and devastation of forest property against which legislative attempts of the republican government were entirely powerless. Not only did the peasants take advantage of the disorder, and the municipalities cut their reserves without hindrance but extraordinary fellings in the state forests were necessitated by the needs of the navy and the exchequer. In 1801, after various previous attempts at organization, Napoleon reorganized the service, with five administrators, 30 conservators, 200 inspectors and 8,600 inferior officers. At that time, it appears that the revenue from the public forest domain amounted to $6,000,000, a sum justifying such elaborate organization. But otherwise the methods of Colbert’s ordinance were revived. Devastation, however, continued.
Incompetence in the service, was again introduced when in 1811 half the number of officials was recruited from superannuated army officers. In 1817, the whole forest service was abolished, and the properties placed in the hands of the fiscal agents of the government without any technical knowledge. The old order of things was, however, re-established in 1820, and soon after the final organization which has lasted to date was effected.
3. Development of Modern Forest Policy.
In 1822, a commission composed of foresters was instituted to revise the ordinance of 1669, which, here and there modified, had continued to be valid, except during the revolutionary period. The result of the work of this commission was the Code Forestier (1829) which is the law of the present day. In it, principles are laid down under which the state, communal and other public forests are to be managed.