LUMBER STANDS

Evening Star, Issue 21292, 22 December 1932, Page 12

LUMBER STANDS

FORESTRY IN CANADA A TRADING ASSET. Nature’s forests are the index of economic conditions in British Columbia, and to a great extent in Canada. A flourishing lumber trade means prosperity ; a slump in lumber spells depression. The direct revenue from British Columbia forests in the past thirty years has averaged 23 per cent, of all assessments for provincial \\ administration. If the indirect revenue due to taxes and tariffs paid were included, this proportion would be doubled. The Minister for Lauds, the Hon. Nels Longheed, is warning the pepple that, at the present rate of cutting, mature Douglas fir, the basis of export, will be exhausted in about twenty-five years. He explains that it is not so much Jogging operations that constitute the future threat. While 100,000 acres are cut over each year by logging, the annual loss by fire of young stands has averaged 117,000 acres for a decade. Here lies the public’s responsibility, as in Canada the majority or forest fires are due to human carelessness. Through control of logging operations, industrial fires have been reduced to 2 per cent, of the total.

The need for care and conservation is emphasised by the facts of the industry’s progress. When, in 1864, Mr J, H. L. Homer shipped the first cargo to Australia from New Westminster, near Vancouver, a new industry was created, which has grown to be the premier undertaking of the province. The value of forest products, by decades, has increased from £20,000,000 in 1910 to £90,000,000 in 1920, and £160,000,000 in 1930. The amount of timber cut and commercialised during these thirty years has been 42,328,000,000 superficial feet. The remaining stand is estimated at 275,000,000,000 ft, of which 55 per cent, is accessible under present standards of logging and economics. FOREST MANAGEMENT. aa-eua.—.,-.. - - jaaran Reforestation is now becoming general. Great Britain, conforming to the findings of the Acland Commission, lias undertaken to rehabilitate 1,180,000 acres in forty years. During the first ten years of the scheme 150,000 acres have been planted, at a cost of £1,400,000. Last year New York State embarked on a programme of re-establish-ing 1,000,000 acres in fifteen years,.at a cost of £4,000,000. The United States Government is spending in excess of the revenue in production, development, and administration. India, best example of forestry under British institutions, after eighty years of administration, is spending £2,200,000 on 307,000 square miles, or 63 per cent. British Columbia is spending 26 per cent., Ontario 53 per cent., Quebec 30 per cent. In the better organised European forests, where management has been in practice for hundreds of years, 50 per cent, and upwards of the gross receipts are returned tor silvicultural work, although in these countries the fire hazard is practically non-existent. . . ~ British Columbia is gradually extending its lumber trade within the Empire. In 1930 a mission was sent to Australia, and succeeded in increasing Australia’s share of British Columbia’s export trade from 29 per cent, in 1929 to 61 per cent, in 1930. A similar mission, sent to itngland last year, persuaded large users, such as the London County Council and the Glasgow City Council, to adopt British Columbia specifications, where heretofore Baltic was standard. India has recently appointed a forestry officer to London for similar purposes. These steps carry out the behest of the Imperial Economic Committee to educate the British public to recognise Empiregrown timbers.