FOREST MANAGEMENT 25 



number of years. No one permittee, however, is ordinarily allowed 

 to lease more than 200 hectares (494 acres) of contiguous land. 

 The areas reserved from grazing are: Ranger-station gardens 

 and fields, land within 300 metres (328 yards) of any ranger 

 station, land cultivated by natives within the forest, recent 

 felHng areas, land burned over (for a period of 6 years), land 

 heretofore used by natives. It is clearly understood that the 

 forest administration assumes no responsibihty in the case of 

 conflicting claims. The price charged is based on an estimated 

 10 hectares (25 acres) to each sow (and litter), and amounts 

 to 0.30 francs ($0.06) per hectare (2.5 acres) per year, paid in 

 advance. The boundaries, total areas, and number of stock 

 admitted are authorized in advance by the director for each 

 forest. The permittee agrees to keep stock on the leased area; 

 when building brush huts (gourbis) to pay for poles 20 to 60 cm. 

 (7.9 to 23 inches) in circumference, 1.50 francs ($0.29) each; 60 to 

 120 cm. (23 to 41 inches), 3 francs ($0.58) per cu. m. (35 cu. ft.) 

 on the stump, and for logs 120 cm. (48 inches) and larger, 

 6 francs ($1.16) per cu. m. (35 cu. ft.). The right of entry into 

 huts (gourbis) for counting or for taxing purposes is reserved, 

 and revocation of permit is the penalty for excess in numbers. 

 Permittees are bound to repair damage to roads, trails, or tim- 

 ber yards. The right of seizure is reserved if stock is found 

 off the allotment. In accordance with the lire decrees no fires 

 can be Ughted in or within 200 metres (219 yards) of the forest 

 unless surrounded by a ditch i metre (i yard) deep and by a 

 wall of dry stones; soil around huts must be cleared within a 

 radius of 25 metres (27 yards) but the permittee in addition is 

 held responsible for all fire damage (or offences), even if caused 

 by his employees after taking these precautions. Concessions 

 are personal, revocable, and nontransferable. In the official 

 language: "At the expiration of the permit the administration 

 reserves the right to auction off the right to graze, to renew 

 the former permits under new rules or to cancel all permits 

 purely and simply" — "but ... in case of renewal the pref- 

 erence will be given former permittees either to retain their 

 former permits or to change the allotment." 



