52 ALGERIA 



concerned, or by granting them small individual felling areas. 

 I could cite regions where the natives confined between the 

 lands opened for settlement and the forest cannot move, 

 one might say, without risking law suits. 



'' We have now a more supple forest law; I would like also 

 to see less stiffness and fonnahty in its administration in those 

 specially charged with applying it, and I know the zeal and 

 the patriotism of forest personnel well enough to be convinced 

 that it will seek out with entire devotion and loyalty, in accord 

 with all the members of the commission, the means to im- 

 prove a situation which causes anxiety (and rightly so) to all 

 those who are interested in the economic development of 

 Algeria. . . ." 



Work of Jonnart's Commission. — Inspired by this high- 

 minded, yet pohtic address, the commission pursued their studies 

 with the main aims of future administration clearly in view. 

 They based this work on the principle^ that the preservation 

 of existing forests and even of brush cover was important for the 

 public health, the habitabihty and the prosperity of Algeria, 

 because, as they agreed, the forest influenced the rainfall, 

 assisted the filtration of water and maintenance of springs, 

 lessened erosion and tempered floods, temperature, and winds, 

 at the same time bettering local health conditions. They con- 

 cluded, therefore, that the forests were of incalculable value, 

 both direct and indirect, in the economic welfare of the entire 

 population and should be maintained by every means in the 

 power of the state. 



Taking up afterward the forest situation in detail, the com- 

 mission determined ^ that one of the chief items of complaint 

 against the Forest Service — the inclusion of agricultural land 

 within forests — was far from justified, and that the mainte- 

 nance of existing forests^ was so important that the cost of 

 administration should be considered secondary to the attain- 

 ment of results. To remedy the existing distrust of the Service 

 and to foster a favorable local sentiment it was felt that the 

 natives^ must be reconciled to forest administration; partly 

 by educational measures, but also by giving them a working 



6 Id. 6 7^. 7 /J. 8 /(^. 



