Forest Monoculture
The entire island of Ireland was once thickly covered by oak and pine, but by the end of the 19th century only 1% was forested. Modern efforts to reforest the landscape have been largely agriculture. Vast tracts of land have been planted in rows with a single type of tree, crowding out others and leaving little room for habitat. No matter where the trees are planted, the purpose is always to harvest them, and we saw hillsides that were clearcut and replanted with seedlings.
