GOLD COAST. REPORT ON FORESTS. 



No. 66. 

 GOLD COAST 



REPORT ON FORESTS. 



INTRODUCTION. 



For some years past the Government of the Gold Coast had 

 been endeavouring to procure the temporary services of an Indian 

 Forest Officer with a view to getting professional advice on the 

 best means of regulating the haphazard methods of exploiting 

 the mahogany forests then in vogue. 



Their object was to secure a report on the forest resources of 

 the country and the measures that should be adopted for the 

 preservation of the forests against excessive exploitation. 



For one reason or another such an officer could not be found, 

 and it was finally decided that my services should be lent for 

 that purpO'Se by the Southern Nigerian Government for a period 

 of four months. 



Accordingly, on the expiration of niy year's (1907) tour in the 

 latter Colony and Protectorate, I left Lagos by steamer on the 

 31st December, 1907, and arrived at Accra on the following day, 

 the 1st January, 1908. After remaining there a few days and 

 making a short visit to the Botanical Gardens at Aburi, I 

 returned to the former town and sailed for the Port of Sekondi 

 on the 8th of the same month ; from there I began my series of 

 tours through the forests of the Colony and Ashanti. 



In Part I. of this report, I have described, in some detail, the 

 trips made through the forests and the character of the country 

 and the vegetation passed through. 



Part II. is devoted to a discussion of the measures that should 

 be introduced with a view to conserving the forests and initiating 

 a sound system of forest policy for their management and 

 development. 



In Part III. a brief summary is given of the physical features 

 and climate of the Gold Coast and Ashanti, of the vegetation of 

 those countries, the distribution of the forests, a short account 

 of the conditions affecting plant growth and their influence in 

 determining the geographical distribution of plants, statistics 

 of the exports and imports of forest produce, and an estimate 

 of the future yield of timber from the forests. 



