186 FORESTRY ALMANAC 



of the forests belong to the State. Despite the large resources, the 

 export of Colombia is small and confined to special woods, while the 

 imports are likewise small owing to a minimum demand. Forestry 

 laws designate certain lands supporting special types of growth as 

 national forests and specify the terms of leases of lands made to 

 private owners by the government. 



Costa Rica 



Although figures are incomplete, estimates place the forest area of 

 Costa Rica at between eight and nine million acres, largely in public 

 ownership. Domestic consumption is on the increase, but the export 

 trade in timber is an important activity in this Central American 

 country. There is a fairly awakened appreciation of the need of forest 

 conservation, taking form in widespread school instruction, but so far 

 as laws go it has not taken form in much more than executive decrees. 



Cuba 



Twelve or thirteen million acres comprise the forest area of Cuba, 

 with approximately 10 per cent, in public ownership on the part of 

 the State. There is an excess of import over export. No forest 

 policy worthy of the name exists, and there is a considerable denuda- 

 tion of forest lands. A forestry division exists, largely as an agency 

 for collection of revenue from forest operations. 



Czechoslovakia 



Cut off from Austria-Hungary, the new Czechoslovakian Repub- 

 lic was endowed at birth with a large forest resource of about twelve 

 and one-half million acres, constituting nearly one-third of the land 

 area of the country. Of this the State owns slightly more than one- 

 ninth ; the church and public or semi-public units, one quarter, the rest 

 being in private hands. It is an exporting country, cutting annually 

 about 560,000,000 cubic feet and exporting approximately one-fifth. 

 Efficient management of forest areas is prescribed, land once forest 

 land is always forest land, and reforestation within five years and 

 protection against fire and disease is required of private owners. 



Denmark 



Including Island possessions, Denmark's forest area is set at about 

 eight and three-quarter million acres, with the State in possession of 



