SAVING THE FORESTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 185, 4 August 1923, Page 15

SAVING THE FORESTS.

EXAMPLE OF FRANCE. ! I \ WnNDKRFI 1. ->Y<TKM. ' sj|\ [.'ni! !!•■ i« a iiHimuul art in [•'raiu-e '' . il i- iimlpi-xtnud and practised not only: ! jiiival Hiithoritieii, pulilie institutions, s ii.h hs uai.T enthoritio*. ;»nd l>y ]irivati> j^ citizen-. lui-eMry property is given a|" MKH-ial «t:mi>. ill French jurUpruclpnee. i-' 1 „.., ,-nly a- reganU the' ~..wors ai ,d l^ fi :ion» of the s.tHt,.. ),,,t :,lso in n-Kar<lj s t,i liie risrhts and o'iligation~ ol private ! ~.mici-. There i- a 'national forestry ~...1. nhi.l, contains |ir.ivi»kin for i-efrii- 1 liitinj; rverv phasp of ilie industry, and ■ I ln> |~.wir- <•! the in euforeiiifT " h -!r rervnncr of the Irtw and the proleriion ' .■i forests is practically unlimited. Of s the total area of 2J.000.000 acres of '' f..rr-t Inn.l :«. 000 .oot) acres comprise State' , fi.re-i.-. ."..HUO.Ofln aeri"* are mc property i.f cotiinmnes an.i other pnbll,- bodi-s. an'-l ' lil.iHKi.fluo iteri's bflung lo privato owners. ] Tin- wholo are directly under il.e .-niitrol |j of the forestry administration, wliieli I ley.. doM.i ri K id'conditi, Jt ,s with regard 1.. |J 6"-v\ and planting.', care and protection. | ill,- manner and time- 01 cutting, an.l j the i]tianlities which can lie cut in each individual invest at spcilic periofl*. N Kvery operation i« regulated by the j State, which has power to take over any l| private forest which is not beinpr I', operated satisfactorily and manage if " until such time as it has been put into a proper condition, when it i- once more lianded l-a.-k to the owner and expenses of the Sialc activities Ileitis paid! l,v ilie iitviipr. The state forests are maintained merely In supplement the supplies furnished by other foresters, and to provide a reserve in ease of national emergency. ADMINISTRATION" JLKTHUD-*. The central forestry administration is attached to the Ministry o! Agriculture, nnd for the purposes of control France is divided into 'M eonsert ations. at the head of each of which there is a conservator. Each conservation is in turn divided into "inspections'' comprising a number of fore'ts administered by an inspector. Each of these inspections is further subdivided into two or three cantonments under tluj charge of assistant inspectors. The aim all the way along is to decentralise management as far a* possible, and to enable local problems to be handled ny experts on the. spot. In addition to . protective section, which includes ranger the administrative force, there is the protective section, which includes rangers and guards who are housed by the State. and whose duty it is to protect forests from devastation through vandalism, fire, disease or other agencies. A complete and highly developed system of educating forestry officers has been built up, the officers beiup mainly recruited - from- the official State Forestry School ..it Xancy, where the training consists - .of a two years" course, covering an extensive field of work in the local forests, followed by a tour of all important forestry regions. An excellent forestry ebiirep is also given at the Institute Agronomique and tlie .Ecolc Polytechnique. from irhMi students pass to Xancy after completing a t-.vn years' course. Thus 1 necessary preliminary to entrance to t\ie forestry service is H course of training extending over four years; half,at uhieh must either be spent at the Instiint Agrwteih':z? <v the Eeole Polyteeliii<)m\ aei tiu «i*r "aalf at the State .'urestry fched •* Hour. The forest -nards ~* specially tmivi! at Nugent-tir-Vero*«nn, ta£ @m HI ler force at larrcs. wliere tlicTf is in extensive slantatioiiT of exotic trees. All American •xpert who recently investigated French methods wrote —"The success of the State forest administration is mainly due to its splendid personnel. -, and when one realises the care exercised in the selection and training ot officers, it is easy to believe that the dictum is strictly accurate. RIGID REGULATIONS. Kvery phase of the industry, from the sowing and planting right up to cutting, is controlled under rigid regulations. Wherever possible Nature is allowed to do the work of producing the young trees, man coming in to tend the growing trees, thin them out, and assist them to reach maturity in good condition. But where sowing is necessary, seeds are rigorously examined prior to planting, and the sale of seeds is regulated by the State. Conditions are laid down as to the age and time at which young trees may he planted, the spaces between seedlings, the type of trees to he planted in .1 given locality, and the means of protecting and caring for the trees during growth. To.enahlp the State to direct these operations, constant and exhaustive research is necpssary. This, too, is carried out by the State, which has nnmerous nurseries. from which roung trees are supplied to the State and communal forests and to private foresters. Forests must he laid out on specified plans; they must have properly-paved roads and tracks, must be adequately drained: and the trees must be properly spaced, in accordance with the regulations, whilst undergrowth must be cleared, the forests thinned to enable proper growth, and adequate protection against fire provided. The protective measures are very comprehensive, and the most severe penalties are provided for breaches of the protective regulations. For instance, no fire may be set for any purpose within 600 yards of a forest, and in certain areas where the summer is dry neighbouring land holders are compelled to assist in providing ;i fire break from 00 to 150 yards wide between their property and the forests. An incendiary tire in a forest is punishable by detention ar. forced labour for life. An important phase of the work is that carried out by communes, of which there are 3U.222 in France. The communes plant trees partly for commercial purposes, partly to prevent erosion in mountain areas, partly to prevent Hoods, party to stay the advance of sand dunes, and'often to utilise barren lands which are useless for "ther purposes. Where a commune ia unable to find the necessary money for planting schemes, the State steps in and gives financial assistance. Thus along the Uaseon coast, where the sand dunes were advancing at a rapid rate, the communes, in conjunction with the central forest administration, planted Io0 r OOO acres uith maritime pines, and in the Lender region 1R.1,000 acres of barren and unused lands were in a similar way converted into flourishing forest areas. Tn the head waters of the important streams rising in the Alps, the comratines and the State also planted an area of 200,000 acres to pre\"ent erosion and floods.