MEN OF THE TREES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22318, 16 January 1936, Page 6

MEN OF THE TREES

'FOREST PRESERVATION GROWING WORLD MOVEMENT OBJECTIVES IN ENGLAND [fbom our own correspondent] LONDON, Dec. 21 The Society of Men of the Trees, irho pledge themselves to work for a wider recognition of the supreme beauty Df trees and woodlands, has celebrated its tenth year of existence, but it is only recently it has been obtaining the publicity it -deserves. Perhaps this is owing to the presence in England of the founder, Mr. Richard St. Barbe Baker, who started the movement among the tribesmen of Kenya, in order to save their land from the deterioration and • barrenness which was resulting from the thoughtless destruction of forests.

Mr. Baker, who has visited New Zealand in''the past, is a forestry expert who has also recognised the mystic power of the trees. He told a recent lecture audience, with apologies,' that nt the age of nine he made a friend of a sympathetic beech tree. He took all his troubles to this tree and everything was cleared up. He confessed himself an enthusiast who rode his hobby at the risk of boring his friends. Fie found on the sixth occasion these friends took notice and began to share his enthusiasm. Success in America Mr. Baker spoke of his success in America in saving the redwood trees, the longest living trees on earth. His little sister had sent him ten shillings to begin his campaign. He spoke to a millionaire, who went to see the marvellous redwood groves of North California, and lie subscribed 000,000 dollars to. help to save the groves. Since then they had collected 9,500,000 dollars, and large tracts of these ancient trees were saved for all time. In the course of his lecture, Mr. Baker reminded his audience that 100 years ago there was a campaign to prevent Surrey from becoming a bleak and treeless area. To-day it was one of the most beautiful counties in England and' lieaTily wooded. This was what he emphasised in the North of England, where a movement was in progress to transform the slag heaps into things of beauty. Black and dirty though the country is. the people who have been born there love it, and they have soitght the help of the Men of the Trees. People are adopting slag heaps, and for the sum of £SO it is possible to afforest an average dump and provide a good deal of work for those who are sick of doing nothing. Planting in Britain

It is estimated that during the war four-fifths of Britain's forests were cut down,, and that at the present rate it will take 140 years to plant these 3,000,000 idle acres. Heavy death duties have also been responsible for destroying forests. Trees are sold to pay the duties, anil it is estimated that three deaths quickly following one another of the owners of a wooded estate will entirely denude the property of timber. The ilen of the Trees are out to stop this method of paying death duties. Mr. Baker made an appeal for living Christmas trees. In these days of openair life he suggests that people should arrangfe their Christmas toys on a tree in their gardens and invite the public to come in, or, at least, give them the joy of,seeing it. It was not right, he said, to sacrifice thousands of young trees, and he suggested that people should grow their own larches from seed so that they could have their own living Christmas trees from year to year.