216 WOMEN AND FORESTRY 



it was it is in the past, for one thing and for another 

 the Great War is bringing about so great a change in 

 our economic problems that in most cases the point of 

 view from which they were approached before the 

 outbreak has entirely altered. To some extent this 

 is true of the afforestation question. 



And I for one believe that it is of the first importance 

 that the women of the country should now make it 

 their business to learn the nature of the forestry 

 problem, to grasp the directions in which it can be 

 made to help in the economic life of the nation, and 

 then to use the whole strength of their influence to see 

 that the desired ends are attained. 



Women can help in forestry in more ways than by 

 actually performing the work of foresters or forest 

 labourers. Forestry is now becoming a vital question 

 to us. It had a very considerable importance before 

 the war in view of the fact that we import a very large 

 amount of timber and other forest products. It may 

 surprise you to learn that 42,000,000 sterling worth 

 were imported in 1913. And large industries depend 

 on this amount of materials coming into the country. 

 We could grow ourselves a considerable proportion 

 of this material on what is at present virtually un- 

 productive ground, that is, land bringing in as little 

 as 2s. to 2d. per acre or less. As I have indicated, the 

 matter was important before the war. As a result 

 of the Great War it has become a vital necessity that 

 this forestry business should be understood by the 

 public at large and that it should receive at the hands 

 of the Government the attention it demands in the 

 interest of the nation. Women can aid in this work. 



