KOREA. 



The latest move in forest reform in this part of the 

 world, as a result of Japanese influence, is to be re- 

 corded from Korea. Indeed, in 1910, Japan annexed 

 Korea, and will doubtless apply her own methods in 

 the new province. The forest area of Korea com- 

 prises only about 2,500,000 acres, out of an area of 

 nearly 53 million acres of very mountainous country. 

 A concession for the exploitation of the northern for- 

 ests to a Russian, which included the re-planting with 

 "exotic" tree species, was the immediate cause of 

 the Russo-Japanese war. In 1907, by co-operative 

 arrangements with Japan, a conservative forest 

 policy was to be inaugurated by laws similar to 

 those of Japan. 



Drouth, floods and erosion of soils have been com- 

 mon experiences. The preservation of forest cover, 

 especially at the headquarters of the Yalu and Tumen 

 in the northern part of the country, is aimed at. 



For this purpose the government has taken all 

 forests under its care. All private owners or lease 

 holders must report their holdings and have their 

 property listed, and in case of failure to do so the 

 property is forfeited. The government may then ex- 

 propriate, or else regulate the cutting, or, where pro- 

 tective functions of the forest cover require it, may 

 forbid cutting altogether. 



A forestry school is also part of the program. 



