THE KARSTi REFORESTED WITH AUSTRIAN PINE 



WHAT THE KARST PICTURES TELL 



SEA'EX hundred years ago the poHce 

 regulatiuns of Triest forbade, un- 

 der strict penalties, the felHng or 

 trimming of trees, the setting of fires, 

 and the herding of stock in the country 

 round alx)ut. Fifty years ago there was 

 no forest on the land concerning which 

 these regulations had been issued ; no 

 pasture; nr)thing to burn, even if the 

 setting of fires had been attempted. In 

 the interim the place had been laid wa-^te. 

 The regulations had been furgotten, su- 

 ])erseded, or disobeyed, and the region 

 known as the Karst, consisting of bar- 

 ren limestone without useful vegetative 

 cover of any sort, presented a land prob- 



lem which staggered the economists. 

 Some 600.000 acres of profitless barrens 

 were all that was left where for ages 

 productive forests of conifers and hard- 

 woods had once supplied ship timbers 

 and other wood for the use of the Vene- 

 tians. To-day, by forest planting, sup- 

 plemented by protective measures where 

 the ruin was less complete, about 400,030 

 acres of this waste have once more been 

 brought into productive condition. In- 

 direct benefits also have accompanied the 

 restoration of the forest. Amelioration 

 oi the local climate has made possible 

 the successful pursuit of agriculture on 

 the adjacent tillable soils. 



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