



19 



18. STAFF AND COST. (1) Surveys. The present survey staff consists o 

 one surveyor on 300 15 400 (draws 400) with travelling allowance of 

 4 florins a day. It is estimated that the work proposed in the pro- 

 gramme could be carried out by one surveyor at the rate of 180 

 square miles a year; at this rate a total of 1,594 square miles could 

 be overtaken by two surveyors in about 4| years, or, say, 5 years, 

 allowing for accidents. It is proposed, therefore, to add another 

 surveyor, though it is doubtful if it will be possible in the near future to 

 obtain thoroughly qualified and experienced survey officers on less than 500 

 a year; on the other hand, considerable economy could be effected by placing 

 the surveyors in charge of two or three subordinate parties working on the 

 less intricate work, such as the filling in of interior details. So far, the cost 

 of the Forest Surveyor's work has averaged less than 4 per square mile, 

 including his salary. The work to be carried out under the programme, 

 however, will be more detailed, and it is proposed to estimate the cost at 6 

 per square mile. The total cost will therefore be 6x 1,594 = 9,564, or, say, 

 10,000, that is 2,000 a year for 5 years. 



(2) Working Plans. Of a total area of 1,664 square miles it is proposed 

 that Divisional Forest Officers should be responsible for the preparation of 

 working plans for 504 square miles, the balance of 1,160 square miles being 

 undertaken by special working plan officers, who will form part of the regular 

 staff of forest officers. Working plans for this area could be prepared by 

 two officers in 5 years, at the end of which period they will be required to 

 proceed with a further programme of work. The cost of the work, excluding 

 the salaries of the working plan officers but including their travelling allow- 

 ances and all necessary labour, is estimated at 2 4s. per square mile, that 

 is 3,661 or, say, 3,700 for the total of 1,664 square miles, or 740 a year 

 for 5 years. It is important that all forest officers should, at some period in 

 their service, be posted for a time to working plans duty either as officers in 

 charge of parties or as assistants. 



Expenditure on surveys and working plans may be regarded as directly 

 remunerative, in that this work will lead to the systematic working and 

 development of the forests on a scale on which this could not otherwise be 

 attempted without grave risk. 



19. PROCEDURE RELATING TO WORKING PLANS. A working plan is a 

 document regulating the management of a forest for a period of usually 10 to 

 20 years ahead, at the end of which time it is revised : its provisions are 

 binding, and may not be deviated from without good reason, and then only 

 under proper sanction. It is necessary, therefore, that a working plan should 

 be scrutinized carefully before it is finally accepted. When a working plan 

 for any forest or group of forests is contemplated, the first step should be 

 the preparation of a preliminary report giving a short description of the 

 forests and a brief statement, with any essential details, as to the lines on 

 which the working plan will be prepared and the treatment proposed, with 

 the reasons therefor : this report should be accompanied by a small-scale 

 map showing proposed working circles and any other information that can 

 be included. The preliminary working plan report should be submitted by 

 the Divisional Forest Officer to the Conservator. In the event of a Chief 

 Conservator being appointed (see paragraph 57) the preliminary report should 

 be submitted to him, with the Conservator's remarks, for his approval, after 

 which the preparation of the working plan may be proceeded with. 



A working plan officer should be held personally responsible for the 

 accuracy of the statistical and other information collected by him and entered 

 in the working plan, and should be expected to visit the whole area dealt 

 with. On completion of the working plan he should submit it to the Con- 

 servator, who will examine it in detail and satisfy himself that it has been 

 prepared on correct lines. It is a recognized maxim, in connection with the 

 preparation of working plans, that they should receive independent scrutiny 



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