FORESTRY QUARTERLY 



Vol. XIII June, 1915 No. 2 



THE FORESTRY SITUATION IN GREAT BRITAIN 

 By B. E. Fernow 



One thing of interest to foresters that the war is likely to bring 

 about in Great Britain is the realization of the awkwardness of 

 her dependence for wood supplies on other countries, which may 

 increase the efforts to arouse attention to home supplies and 

 afforestation of waste lands. Of the eight billion feet B.M., 

 which roughly is the output of softwoods reaching the European 

 markets, Great Britain takes just about one-half, besides a large 

 amount of unshaped material, the total import in 1912 being 

 around $180 million. 



The first pinch was felt in October with reference to the 

 supply of pit props for the coal mines, when imports of this 

 material had fallen to less than 50 per cent of normal. Especially 

 the supply from Russian Baltic ports, which usually represents 

 20 per cent of the total pit prop supply, was curtailed, in this case 

 for lack of labor, as well as that from the pineries of the Landes, 

 Spain and Portugal, which together supply 40 per cent. This set 

 the authorities to making a survey of home supplies, and it was 

 found that in England and Wales by extraordinary fellings 

 about 7,900,000 tons or two years' requirements could be secured. 

 Excessive railroad rates seem to have prevented hitherto the 

 development of a home market. To assist in a rational manner 

 the utilization of mine timber the "Board of Agriculture's Fores- 

 try Advisory Officers" have issued instructions to guide wood- 

 land owners, and the English Forestry Association is active in 

 the same direction. 



The deficiency which was felt next, was with respect to tele- 

 graph and telephone poles, the Postmaster-General making an 

 effort to stimulate home sources to supply it. Also as a result of 

 the war, the demand for charcoal both for heating purposes and 

 for ammunition has greatly increased. The Board of Agriculture 



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