Evaluation of archive material from southwest Rhineland, Germany,has provided new knowledge on the development of forests in the 18th century. The society of those times had three different main requirements, which called for three different types of forest; for wood production, agriculture and hunting. But both landed gentry and the community as a whole were interested in maximising the use of the forest. It is therefore not accurate to conclude that wood production was only in the interest of the landowners and agriculture in the interest of the rest of the community. In addition, the different types of forest were subject to mutual dependence because changing one parameter meant that the balance governing wood production,grazing and arable areas, as well as habitat for game,also shifted. These interests, both divergent and common, of the population as a whole lead to the conclusion that forestry development was a highly political issue, and that the influence of the non-owning part of the population was greater than previously thought.
