Under the influence of the Indian forest service, or stimulated by its
success, some of the other British Colonial governments in Africa and
Australia have attempted and sometimes succeeded in establishing a
forest policy.
Of East Indian territories, _Ceylon_, the nearest neighbor to India,
with over 25,000 square miles, of which 42 per cent. wooded, mostly with
second growth forest of small value, attempted long ago an organization
with the aid of Indian foresters, but by 1900 had of over 10,000 square
miles only 431 in reserves, in addition to nearly 1800 acres planted.
One Conservator and 8 Assistant Conservators produce a net revenue of
less than $30,000, there being an import of $250,000 necessary to eke
out the wood requirements of the 3.5 million people.
* * * * *
_The Straits Settlement_, an area of 1526 square miles, had, by 1900, a
reserved state forest area of 138 square miles under an experienced
Indian forest officer. Gutta percha, rubber and gums are here the most
valuable products.
* * * * *
The _Federated Malay States_, with 26,350 square miles, and heavily
wooded, after a report by the Indian Inspector-General, have begun to
reserve forest areas, some 100,000 acres having been set aside, which
are administered by the Conservator of the Strait Settlement’s reserves.
* * * * *
The government of the island of _Cyprus_ also employs a forest officer
and guards to look after its 700 square miles of forest.
* * * * *
In _Africa_, during the last few years small forest departments have
been established by the governments of the Soudan, East Africa, Nigeria,
Transvaal, Orange River and Natal, mostly for the purpose of planting on
the treeless plains.
* * * * *
The government of _Mauritius_ had made attempts at conservancy for many
years, but without notable success.
* * * * *
The most successful attempt in Africa so far is reported from _Cape
Colony_, which as early as 1819 had a Superintendent of Lands and Woods,
and in 1876, a Department of Forests and Plantations, neither of which
have left much of record.
In 1881, a new forest department under a French forest officer was
started, which has grown until now its consists of one Conservator (D.
E. Hutchins), 22 Assistant Conservators, 84 European foresters, and a
few native guards. In 1888, the needed legislation was had for
regulating the working of the nearly half million acres of forest area,
which, in 1902, was declared inalienable government property. Since the
wood imports amount to over two million and a quarter dollars annually,
the need of conservative use is appreciated especially as climatic
conditions are unfavorable to reproduction. Some 24,000 acres have been
planted during 22 years, at a cost of $1,500,000, the first plantations
beginning to yield a substantial revenue, and it is believed that
another 40,000 acres of such plantations would supply all the timber
needed in the Colony. Treeplanting by private land owners and
municipalities is encouraged by furnishing advice gratis and plant
material at low cost, and to municipalities in addition government aid
is extended to the extent of half the cost of planting.
* * * * *
The seven _Australian_ colonies are very variously situated regarding
timber supplies, three of them, Queensland, Western and South Australia
being poorly wooded, the others more or less heavily forested,
especially Tasmania with 65 per cent., and New Zealand with 31 per cent.
Generally speaking the forest areas are confined to the coast in
narrower and wider belts, the interior being forestless or with scrubby
growth. This portion is large enough to reduce the total forest per
cent. to less than 6.5. The mountains and hill ranges facing the
Eastern, Southern and Western coasts are especially heavily wooded with
magnificent Eucalypts, Jarrah and Karri while the Kauri pine is the most
valuable tree in New Zealand.
The one successful attempt at a forest policy was made by the almost
forestless colony of _South Australia_, which in 1882 reserved its
scanty forest area of 217,000 acres and started to plant, (now 13,000
acres planted), employing a Conservator and six Foresters.
In the other colonies at various times unsuccessful beginnings were
made, and there exist in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria
so-called Forest Branches or departments, but mostly without power or
equipment, and no intelligent conception of forest policy seems
practically to exist.
In _Queensland_, since 1897, the Governor in Council may reserve forest
lands and regulate the cutting by diameter limit. One and a half million
acres have been reserved, but no staff for administration exists.
In _New South Wales_ six million acres were withdrawn from settlement,
but it is mostly used for pasture, and withdrawal may be revoked at any
time. No effective system of control exists.
In _Victoria_ five and a half million acres have been declared reserves
under act of 1890, nearly half the forest area. There exists a forest
department of one Conservator, two Inspectors and 25 Foresters, but no
plan of management. Four State nurseries of doubtful value seems the
whole result.
The other colonies still merely exploit their forest resources under
loosely managed license systems, without even an inefficient attempt at
intelligent treatment.