Britain Preparing for Postwar Timber Shortage

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 160, 8 July 1943, Page 4

Britain Preparing for Postwar Timber Shortage

(British Official Wireless) Received Wednesday, 9.20 p.au RUGBY, July «.

The Government need not take a final decision on the policy for a 50 years ’ afforestation programme but must make a decision for the next 10 years, said Sir William Jowitt, Minister without portfolio, winding up the Commons debate on the subject. Sir William Jowitt continued: “We propose during the next 10 years to afforest about 500,000 acres and replant 600,000, and hope private owners will develop another 200,000. That will give a total of 1,300,000 acres at a net cost of £41,000,000.” Earlier Sir George Courthope, speaking for the Forestry Commission, said in 20 years the Commission had planted 351,000 acres of soft wood and 25,000 to acres of hard woods and arranged for the planting on private estates of 126,000 acres. He foresaw a difficult timber situation after the war on account of th© alarming reports about the treatment by the Germans of forests in occupied countries, while Russia which normally provided a great part of our imported timber would be faced with a great reconstruction programme. Sweden was now exporting up to her full normal felling and was not likely to exceed it after the war. We might be hard put to it to obtain the timber we required for a good many years. It was calculated that if we planted up to a total of 5,000,000 acres this would supply when it reached maturity onethird of Britain’B current timber requirements. The Commission recommended the adoption of a programme at that figure.