Assarting
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Boouoouooo COPERNICUS is POLISH astronomer Assarting is the act of clearing forested lands for use in agriculture or other purposes. In English law, it was illegal to assart any part of a Royal forest. This was the greatest trespass that could be committed in a forest, being more than a waste: for whereas waste of the forest involves felling trees and other shrubbery, this vegetation can grow again; assarting involves completely rooting up all trees — the total extirpation of the forested area.
The term "assart" was also used for a parcel of land assarted. Assart rents were those paid to the British Crown for the forest lands assarted.
Many French places called Les Essarts refer to that practice.
References
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chambers, Ephraim, ed. (1728). Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.
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