FORESTRY—A LESSON.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 17 December 1913, Page 4

FORESTRY—A LESSON.

So'far, more -lias'been written and spoken than tfohe in connection witithe important subject of afforestation, in New Zealand, which has become somewhat notorious for the ruthless destruction of its native forests; and the question may be asked, "Is she hot qualifying' to become equally so for the tardiness with which she is •making amends for her errors by means of systematic, scientific afforestation r"! England itself gives a warning example of folly in this connection, as all may' see vrlio choose to read a stimulating article in the last number of the Quarterly Review. The writer tries to estimate the present condition of the world's'timber supplies; and he is certain that disaster must follow unless, waste lands everywhere are immediately utilised fcr afforestation. It ap pears that; there are now about three snd a quarter million acres under timber in the United Kingdom—about 4 per cent of the available land area: but this is a quite incoisiderable item.'In Europe' the percentage of forest to total land area varies from 40 in Russia to 6 in Denmark. Moreover the British tree is so badly grown that its cubic increase per year is barely a fifth of what is got under the scientiifc management of the German forests. The disparity may also be expressed in values. Timber -cut in Great Britain averages a little under 6s per acre per year; on the Continent it mounts up to £2, and the average is very little under £1 per acre. How important factor is that nearly 70 per be utilised to the full is shown by the fact that the United Kingdom buys nearly half the timber exported from all countries. In a recent year the value of the import reached no less than £35,000,000; while the homegrown timber was hardly worth £1,000,000. Russia and Sweden together supply half the imports. America, in spite of its vast resources, is rapidly reaching the point when it will have no wood to send away. Russia is the ,most important source of supply. The quality of the timber is mostly good; but it is nearly. all soft conifer of one sort or another . An mportant it is that waste lands should cent, of this forest area is the property of the State; for this .enormously sin> plifies the problem of conservation and development. The vital thing in timber management, of course, is to control the cut, so that it at least does not i exceed the annual growth. The private owner cuts over quick, to obtain ready returns. The lesson is to follow the^lead of Germany, which not only looks carefully into conservation, but steadily increases the area of forest land year by year. A quarter of Germany is afforested; yet home requirements can scarcely be met. Surely this makes it very clear that the possession of timber in a country must be one of the great practical problems of the future, and New Zealand --will be guilty of suicidal conduct if she continues to postpone systematic and scientific action in the matter.