FORESTRY 1 95 



IV. This danger has been reaHzed by foresters, geologists, and 

 others for many years, and recently has had special attention 

 drawn to it by Professor Stebbing (1935 and 1937), after a tour 

 through the region, and also by two members of the Nigerian 

 forestry department, F. S. Collier and J. Dundas (1937). Pro- 

 posals for a huge international forest-belt to stem the advancing 

 sands along the southern border of the Sahara, coinciding roughly 

 with the northern boundary of Nigeria, have been widely discussed 

 and the whole question has been the subject of joint consideration 

 by the British and French authorities. Agreement was reached in 

 1937, with the result that, while the planting of trees may be 

 impracticable, a great belt of savannah will receive protection 

 along the Sahara's southern confines. 



The preservation of forests in Northern Nigeria is connected also 

 with the problem of the tsetse fly. The aim of foresters is to avoid 

 the heavy burning of savannah country, whereas burning is one 

 of the methods recognized for the reduction of the fly areas. A 

 solution to this problem has not yet been reached, though tsetse 

 investigations by the medical department are working towards 

 that end (see Chapter X). 



The position of the Gold Coast in respect of forests, is perhaps more 

 serious than that of any other British territory. The northern 

 border of the evergreen forest is receding, as in Nigeria, while 

 farther south, extensive areas have been cleared for cultivation of 

 cacao, and others to supply the mines, several of which possess 

 more or less unrestricted concessions to cut timber. The area of 

 forest remaining to-day is less than 14,000 square miles. It is 

 estimated that about 290 square miles are destroyed each year, 

 which means that forest will cease to exist in the Gold Coast in less 

 than fifty years, if the present rate of cutting is not checked. These 

 conditions have led to concentration on the conserving aspect of 

 forest reserves, particularly in the southern parts of the territory, 

 where the cacao industry is situated. 



Actually 2,436 square miles are already reserved, and it is hoped 

 that this area will be raised in the near future to something like 

 8,000, being about 30 per cent of the original area of closed forest. 

 If this is done and the present rate of cutting continues, no more 

 timber or forest land for cultivation will be available after twenty- 



