AUSTRALIA 181 



Arabia 



Known as a treeless country, Arabia boasts perhaps slightly more 

 than one million acres that may be classified as forest land. There 

 is little commerce in forest products, what little there is being in the 

 way of imports. 



Argentina 



Official figures for Argentina set the forest area of that country 

 at 264,000,000 acres, with the State owning slightly less than nine 

 per cent, of this territory. Timber manufacture, particularly in 

 quebacho for tanning purposes, is an important industry. Argentina 

 set about to take a survey of her forest resources 13 years ago but 

 lack of funds has hampered this as well as other forestry activity. 

 There are regulations protecting the public forests and July 9 has 

 been designated as Arbor Day throughout the country. 



Australia 



Only about 90,000,000 acres of the surface of Australia are cov- 

 ered with forests, although in many sections of this area the stand is 

 one of high quality and thick growth. More than 20,000,000 acres 

 have been set aside as forest reserves. There is an excess of imports 

 over exports in merchantable timber. 



In each of the states which go to make up Australia there have been 

 created forestry departments. In New South Wales a policy of 

 government cutting and handling of timber and extensive fire protec- 

 tion is being followed out, and planting of about 1000 acres a year 

 is carried on. In Queensland the government owns 85 per cent, of 

 the forest area, and a forest service has charge of fire protection and 

 leasing of the lands. In South Australia the entire forest area is in the 

 hands of the State, which protects it and cuts it under its forest 

 service. Tasmanian forests are administered by an active forest 

 department which supervises cutting, provides protection and main- 

 tains nurseries. In Victoria a commission manages the forests, exer- 

 cising broad powers to fix cut and prices. In Western Australia the 

 government owns all the commercial timber and administers it 

 through a Forests Department with wide powers. 



There is active interest in the forestry movement in Australia. 

 There are several forestry schools and associations. The country 



