1848 



Canadian Forcstnj Journal, August, 1918 



B. C/s Timber Stock Imperilled 



To criticisms of the Forest Service 

 by some British Cohimbia himber- 

 men who claimed that the facilities 

 for fire protection were inadequate, 

 Mr. P. Z. Caverhill, acting District 

 Forester at Vancouver, retorted that 

 British Columbia "has the most 

 efficient forest protection service in 

 the whole of the Dominion." In an 

 interview in the Pacific Coast Lum- 

 berman, Mr. Caverhill made the 

 following statements: 



Peril to Coast lumber. 

 "There is no question that the 

 probable increase in the demand for 

 lumber after the war is going to make 

 serious and heavy inroads on our 

 supphes, and for that resaon I think 

 this is a matter that should be taken 

 into the most serious consideration 

 • by everyone concerned. This as yoo 

 are aware, is the most destructive 

 season from a fire standpoint that we 

 have experienced in British Columbia 

 for man^' years. Another few sea- 

 sons like this, and it will mean that 

 B.C.'s. greatest asset in the shape of 

 timber would be greatly imperilled. 

 But, with the means at our disposal 

 and the effective steps we have taken 

 to cope with the trouble, I do not 

 think there is much danger of any 

 further serious outbreak, at least 

 this year. It is best, however, to be 

 prepared, and with that idea in 

 view, we are not neglecting any 

 measures that we think will assist 

 us in handling^the situation should it 

 arise." 



"It has always been a debatable 

 point," remarked the "Lumberman," 

 "not only among the members of the 

 trade, but also among the people 

 of this province, not to say Canada, 

 how long the cutting of the finest 

 timber in B.C. can be carried on 

 without there being any fear of a 

 shortage." Mr. Caverhill's statement 

 to "The Lumberman should set at 

 rest all doubts that may exist on 

 this subject. Some few years ago a 

 survey was made of the timber lim- 

 its in British Columbia by officials 

 of the Dominion government. Their 



report to Ottawa stated that at that 

 time there was 400,000,000,000 feet 

 of merchantable timber in B.C. and 

 that, said Mr. Caverhill, was alto- 

 gether exclusive of the young timber. 



Annual Rate of Cutting. 



"Now if you consider that at the- 

 utmost, we are cutting at the rate of 

 from a billion and a half to a billion 

 and three-quarters annually, you vvill 

 easily see the tremendous reserves 

 we have before we touch the last 

 tree trunk in this coast province. 

 Even vvith the abnormally heavy 

 logging that is Peing done at the pres- 

 ent time in view of the demand for 

 aeroplane spruce and other timbers 

 for war purposes, the supply of timber 

 in British Columbia is practically 

 inexhaustible. So that I may say, we 

 have a supply in sight that will last 

 for over two hundred years more. 



"And besides that," he continued, 

 "there is the abnormal increment 

 which is at the rate of about 6,000,- 

 000,000 feet every twelve months. 

 This is entirely separate from the 

 young trees and also distinct from the 

 timber that is considered now to be 

 inaccessible but which in the next 

 century or even less, with improved 

 methods of transportation, will be 

 easily accessible. There is, there- 

 fore, not the slightest cause for anxiety 

 on that score. I wish, however, 

 at the same time to impress on 

 everyone the necessity that there 's 

 for conservation in every sjhape and 

 form. Naturally this comes mostly 

 under the head of fire protection, and 

 it is noticeable that while we have 

 had so many serious fires this season, 

 there is a disposition on the part of 

 the campers and loggers and every- 

 one whose business takes them to the 

 woods, to more rgidly observe the 

 laws that have been laid down." 



The total initial cost of the new 

 Forest Producers Laboratories at Van- 

 couver, will be $20,000, of which the 

 Dominion government will contribute 

 $15,500, and the Provincial Govern- 

 ment the balance. 



