Mr. Simon White:

The original application was put in based on how the individual wanted to plant, probably in consultation with their forestry company, which specified: "You can't do this. You can't do that." That was then put forward to the Department. A departmental inspector would dictate what areas were planted and what species could be used, and the departmental inspector signed off on it. Again, the responsibility goes back to the Department and its inspectors. Our trouble is that many mistakes were made at that stage.

We were basically dictated to as to how we would do it. From our experience 20 or 30 years later, we would do things quite differently. The way the trees were planted - whether it was ploughed or done with ditching and mounding - was dictated to us. For instance, ditching and mounding is not good for ash plantations. I was told that every ash tree I had needed to be mounded. For hurley butts that is not the best way of doing it; it is better to do it on flat ground. I did not know that at the time, and we found out later. That was dictated to us by the inspector from the forestry service.