GOLD COAST REPORT ON FORESTS. 101 



(b.) The over-exploitation of the forests for timber, fuel, 

 aud other produce, such as gums, resins, rubber, &c. 



(//.) Of these the former is by far the greater aud must, if 

 allowed to continue unrestricted for a sufficient length of time, 

 result in the virtual extermination of the forests. The latter is 

 not so serious, unless a very large demand for fuel arises and the 

 fellings are permitted to be undertaken without restrictions as to 

 their extent and character. The ordinary exploitation for 

 timber and minor forest produce can never, even if pushed to the 

 verge of extinction of the particular species of plants concerned, 

 have the same effect on the forests as a whole, as the damage re- 

 sulting from the unrestricted destruction of them for farming pur- 

 poses, because in the former case only a few species in comparison 

 with the huge number forming the balance of the growing stock 

 of the forests are of sufficient economic importance (at the present 

 time at all events) to be threatened with over-exploitation, 

 whereas in the latter case practically the whole growing stock 

 is removed at one fell swoop whenever the forests are cut down 

 for farms. So far then, from the point of view of looking at the 

 forests as a whole, more especially in connection with their role 

 of preserving and regulating the water supply, of preventing the 

 erosion of hill-sides, of acting as barriers against desiccating 

 winds and the spread of arid conditions, and in connection with 

 other protective functions, the over-exploitation o'f a comparatively 

 few species is but of secondary importance. Hence it may be con- 

 ceded that in any rational system of forest protection the steps 

 necessary for ensuring the safety of a sufficiently large extent 

 of forest to carry out these functions must receive first considera- 

 tion whatever may be the demand for forest produce. This prin- 

 ciple is so important that every European State without exception 

 which has included forestry amongst its administrative measures 

 has reserved to itself the right to interfere, by legislation, for 

 the protection of those forests that, by their situation or otherwise, 

 are best suited as " protection " belts to carry out this important 

 role of forest vegetation. The right to interfere is constantly 

 being exercised over all s/tch. areas even when the property does 

 not belong to tJic State, but to private individuals, corporations, 

 communes, fyc. 



Several European countries, including all those in which 

 forestry is most advanced, have in addition extended the exercise 

 of this right to regulate, within certain limits, the methods under 

 which non-State forests (private and communal forests) are 

 c.r plotted for the supply of forest produce, even when these 

 forests are not required as protection against climatic, agencies. 



(b.) The second danger to guard against is that of over-exploita- 

 tion of those wooded areas that are or should be set aside for the 

 purpose of supplying a sustained yield of forest produce. It is 

 this aspect of forestry, together with the quite subsidiary one of 

 protecting the woods as sanctuaries for game, that is more popu- 

 larly associated with forest protection and was the first to be 

 developed in historical sequence. 



This use of the forests, though not of such vital importance to 

 the welfare of a country as the protective functions mentioned 



