CHAPTER XVI 



THE FORESTRY ACT AND FORESTRY 

 COMMISSION 



BEFORE the war the approximate area of woods in the 

 United Kingdom was 3, 043,300. acres, or only 4 per cent, of 

 the total area of the country as compared with 26 per cent, in 

 Germany, 18 per cent, in France, and 18 per cent, in Belgium. 

 The United Kingdom was, in fact, the least wooded country 

 in Europe with the one exception of Portugal. The urgent 

 need for afforestation was well recognized before the war, but 

 nothing was done by the Government which led in any way 

 to increased planting, though a certain amount of land was 

 acquired and a good deal was also done to encourage forestry 

 education and to give expert advice to landowners. The 

 Crown woods have also during the last ten years or so been 

 brought under systematic and scientific management, and 

 a 'very great deal of good work has been done in them. The 

 Forest of Dean and Tintern woods, with a total area of over 

 17,000 acres, are fast becoming an ideal training-ground for 

 British Foresters. Nevertheless, the general position of 

 British forestry was bad, and it was urgently necessary both 

 to improve the condition of existing woods and to add largely 

 to the total area. 



Then during the war the position rapidly became worse ; 

 owing to the scarcity of shipping, timber could only be 

 imported with difficulty, while at the same time the demand 

 for timber increased enormously owing to the huge consump- 

 tion at the front. It became necessary for the Government to 



