A GLOOMY OUTLOOK

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 16, 13 October 1927, Page 18

A GLOOMY OUTLOOK

EXHAUSTION OF TIMBER LIMITS OF THE WORLD S STOCK HEED FOR FOREST CONSCIOUSNESS The coming world scarcity of timber was the subject of a paper read before the Forestry Sub-section at a meeting of the British Association in September by Professor Fraser Story, editor of the “Empire Forestry . Journal.’’ He said that the important sources of timber supply in the world were already sufficiently known, and in areas /witn which geographers were not fujly acquainted there was not likely to be much timber of any economic value. Eight-tenths of the timber of commerce was soft wood. 'A‘stock-taking of tho world’s position revealed a serious deficiency, stated Professor Story. The three great areas of present supply were Canada and the United States. Scandinavia and Northern Russia, and Siberia, in addition .there were considerable, areas in New Zealand, parts of Australia, the Himalayas, and in Brazil. But 95 per cent, of the world’s coniferous timber was supplied by areas in tho North Temperate Zone. The enormous Russian forests were 'difficult of access, in frozen belts, of stunted growth, and so scattered that the areas would hardly bo recognised as forest. There might bo a hundred million acres of merchantable soft woods available. Conditions wero much more satisfactory in Sweden and Finland, where, output was regulated in a very satisfactory manner, and was likely to be maintained at about its present level. This, however, was the exception. In Europe as a whole, including Russia, the annual consumption was 9,000,000,000 cubic feet and the growth, or annual income, only 0,000,000,000 cubic feet. We .were eating into Europe’s forest capital to the extent of 3,000.000,000 cubic feet annually, and required to import this quantity of soft woods from other Continents. “A Gloomy Account.” • Siberia was estimated to have 1,300,000,000 acres of great forests, but this urea included enormous tracts of scrub, burned-over areas and swamps, and very little was exploitable and a great deal inaccessible. An effective area of more than 75,000,000 acres could not bo allowed >for in Siberia. Coming to tho most important region ef supply, North America, Professor Story gave a gloomy account of the ruthless exploitation in two of tho three timber belts in. the United States, and the' rapid extension of the same process Ito the remaining areas on the Pacific Coast and to those in Canada also. Three-quarters of Canada’s original stock of merchantable timber had. already disappeared under the combined attack of ' the lumbermen, the settlers, forest fires, and insect pests. There remained in Canada a stand of about 100.000,000,000 cubic feet of exploitable soft woods. Canada was, however, still the soft-wood store-house of the British Empire—about 547,000,000 acres out of a total of only 575,000,000 acres in the whole Empire. There were no finer forests than those of British. Columbia and no more useful commercial timber than the softwoods of the Eastern Proviuces of Canada. It was regrettable that tho Eastern Provinces had been almost entirely stripped of all but the small-sized timber, and the extraordinary development of the pulp and paper mills threatened the life of tho remaining forests. The yearly drain on the Canadian forests was about 4,000,000.000 cubic feet, and yet only about 900,000,000 cubic feet went into industrial consumption, fires and other destructive agencies accounting for the loss. At this' rate Canada’s valuable stand of virgin softwood would not last more than 25 years. British Columbia was now the centre of activity in the lumber industry and 5n that province 75 per cent, ot the remaining sawmill timber was to be found. For News Print. 'As showing tho vast exploitation of timber for news print. Professor Story said the quantity produced in 1913 was 350,000 tons; in 1923 it was over a million tons, and now was little short of two million tons a year. Ho estimated on a rough balance that of a total •volume of a million million cubic feet of. timber in tho world 27.} thousand millions wero. consumed annually, and Betting asido the question of regrowth, which, must bo slow and - uncertain, the virgin coniferous forests of . the .world would not last at the present Tate J’or more than .37 years, I “Apathy of Owners. n Sir Peter Clutterbuck, who presided Ft the sub-section, .complained pf the apathy of owners of woodlands in this country, and said all our forestry efforts camo back to the need for tho creation' of a deeper consciousness of tho necessity for forestry. Ho said that Franco and Germany had developed a strong forest consciousness, realising that timber was next in importance to food and clothing among the prime necessaries of life. The state of affairs in the British Empire and tho United States was different. They wero almost defenceless against tho coming famine. The outlook as regarded tho British Empire was most serious. An Empire Forestry Association had been started, under Royal Charter, to stimulate public interest in forestry, ami to assist in every possible way in developing and encouraging correct principles of forestry, but it was only in its infancy, and had been hampered hitherto by want of funds.

Forest Consciousness Needed. A strong forest consciousness should be developed, so that it should be recognised that forests were of primary importance to the Empire, that properly conserved forests were a permanent asset, and that, while coal and oil were not inexhaustible, softwoods were essential to the permanent well-being and independence of the Empire. There were distinct signs of a beginning of such a consciousness in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Forestry Commission had since 1919 planted 100,000 acres, and they expected to complete 139,000 acres by 1929, against 150,000 acres originally estimated. Afforestation on a large scale was necessary because of the coming scarcity and because of the necessity for utilising more. or less idle And waste lands, and because of ' the enormous annual cost of imports. It ■was necessary, also, in order to assure timber supplies for our industries, for the insurance of the country in case of .war; and for extending small holdings and increasing country occupations. Every device must be sought for to mitigate the coming famine, by economising consumption, by encouraging the use of the lighter hardwoods.- and by substituting bamboo for softwoods as tho source of wood-pulp for paper supplies. A resolution for the consideration by , the council was passed in the following terms:—"The low percentage of productive forest area in Britain is a matter of grave concern, and in '.the national interest it is urged that afforestation and ‘ reafforestation should be largely expedited. It is further urged that encouragement and financial support should be given to tho development of silvicultural research in education, as well as to the Empire Forestry Association and other societies participating in the advance of the industry.”