354 



Canadian I'orcstry Journal. July. J(j20. 



Private Forestry in Canada 



By Clyde LeavHt 

 Chief Forester, Commission of Conservation 



There is a steadih' increasing move- 

 ment toward the employment of train- 

 ed foresters b}' l)ri^•ate concerns, 

 principally pulj) and ])aper com])anies. 

 Not less than fourteen such compan- 

 ies in eastern Canada now employ 

 foresters for exploration, mapping", 

 cruising, surveying, ins]jection of 

 ■woods operations, forest research, for- 

 est nursery work, tree planting, or 

 some combination of these activities. 

 While this is a splendid development 

 and one most promising for the fu- 

 ture, it must still be recorded that 

 only to a very limited extent have 

 foresters in jirivate employ yet been 

 used in the actual supervision of 

 woods operations, and that their in- 

 fluence has not yet been felt to any 

 great extent in modifying the methods 

 of conducting such operations with a 

 view to increasing the productiveness 

 of cut-over lands. Developments along 

 these lines must, however, be gradual. 

 but will increase as the forestry pro- 

 fession demonstrates its worth, and 

 with increasing shortage of timber 

 supplies and consequently higher 

 stumpage values. 



The reduction of unnecessary waste 

 in logging operations opens a large 

 field to thoroughly practical men with 

 forestry training, and is one in which 

 only a beginning has been made as 

 yet. Adequate action along this line 

 would greatly lengthen the period of 

 operation in virgin supplies of many 

 concerns. Aside from more complete 

 utilization of merchantable material in 

 the trees, by cutting lower stumps and 

 higher up into the tops, it is a well- 

 known fact that in years past great 

 amounts of cut timber have been care- 

 lessly left to rot in the woods or have 

 been left stranded in the smaller 

 streams. More careful supervision 

 would correct a great deal of this 

 abuse, though considerable loss by 

 sinkage and stranding in stream-driv- 

 ing seems unavoidable. 



Looking After Jobbers 



Another field of large ]jos.sibilities 

 lies in the better control of jobbers' 

 operations, with a view to ensuring 

 the removal of all merchantable ma- 

 terial on areas being cut over. There 

 is evidence that, in some cases at least, 

 lack of adequate su])ervision results 

 in jobbers being given a larger area 

 than they require for the cutting of 

 the number of logs contracted for. The 

 result is that the jobber is likely to 

 pick and choose, taking the best and 

 most accessible trees, and leaving be- 

 hind a good deal of merchantable ma- 

 terial which really should ha\'e been 

 taken, but is too small in amount to 

 justify a later operation, and which 

 is likely to be lost through windfall, 

 insects, decay or fire before the under- 

 sized timber shall have made suffi- 

 cient growth to justify another opera- 

 tion. 



Among the pulp and paper compan- 

 ies which have undertaken programs 

 of reforestation, the pioneers are the 

 Laurentide Company, Limited, and 

 the Riordon Pulp and Paper Com- 

 pany, both in Quebec. Both these 

 concerns are working toward a plant- 

 ing program of two million trees an- 

 nually. 



During the past year the Abitibi 

 Company has organized a forestry de- 

 partment in connection with its limits 

 in Northern Ontario. In addition to 

 other lines of forestry work, this com- 

 pany has established a forest nursery, 

 with a view' to undertaking planting 

 operations. 



That the field for private forestry 

 is increasing rapidly is clearly indicat- 

 ed by the increasing number of fores- 

 ters who are going into the work on 

 a consulting basis. Forest surveys, 

 mapping, cruising and exploration are, 

 for the present, the principal lines 

 open to such men. 



