FOREST MANAGEMENT 23 



rights-of-way cleared from June i to October 31 when bordering 

 forests, and if considered necessary, in addition, fire Hnes, 20 

 metres (22 yards) in width, commencing at the right-of-way 

 boundary, must be cleared of conifers, as well as ordinary brush. 

 If not cleared by the companies they may be estabhshed by 

 the Forest Service on authorization of the Governor General 

 and a bill for the work collected from the railway. No industry 

 using fire or any inflammable substance can be established 

 within 500 metres (547 yards) of a forest; nor any tent or brush 

 hut within 100 metres (109 yards). Within reserved forest 

 areas no deforestation is permitted, except when wood is re- 

 quired to protect stream beds against erosion, for improving 

 springs, or for protection against sand.^ 



FOREST MANAGEMENT 



Forest Regulation. — There are no working plans for forests 

 in Tunisia. One reason why formal working plans are not 

 required for the intensively managed cork oak is because the 

 inevitable fires would certainly derange any fixed annual yield 

 which might have been prescribed. Since there are no reg- 

 ular fellings for the holm oak or aleppo pine no plans are re- 

 quired for these forests. The cutting of zeen oak often depends 

 on the market rather than on the silvical needs of the species. 



The collection of cork is, however, roughly regulated as 

 follows: When the trees on a definite area are barked for the 

 first time a cumulative record is kept of the exact number on 

 each subdivision with the date when peeled; from this record 

 it is possible to predict with a fair degree of accuracy what the 

 crop will amount to each year since the average crop per tree 

 is known from experience. The judgment of the officer must 

 decide whether the average tree for each year is below or above 

 the average in size. There is no record kept of the number of 

 trees of each diameter. Approximately the same annual yield 

 is secured because the blocks are so divided that an equal area 

 is theoretically cropped each year. 



* Compare these protective measures with those given in the Algeria code, 

 p. 185. 



