524 CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES 



authority, (b) set aside for the propagation, protection and preservation of 

 wild animal life and wild vegetation, and for the preservation of objects 

 of Eesthetic, geological, prehistoric, historical, archaeological, or other 

 scientific interest for the benefit, advantage, and enjoyment of the general 

 public, (c) in which the hunting, killing or capturing of fauna and the 

 destruction or collection of flora is prohibited except by or under the 

 direction or control of the park authorities. 



In accordance with the above provisions facilities shall, so far as possible, 

 be given to the general pubhc for observing the fauna and flora in national 

 parks. 



2. The term ' strict natural reserve ' shall denote an area placed under 

 public control, throughout which any form of hunting or fishing, any 

 undertakings connected with forestry, agriculture, or mining, any ex- 

 cavations or prospecting, drilling, levelling of the grovind, or construction, 

 any work involving the alteration of the configuration of the soil or the 

 character of the vegetation, any act likely to harm or disturb the fauna 

 or flora, and the introduction of any species of fauna and flora, whether 

 indigenous or imported, wild or domesticated, shall be strictly forbidden ; 

 which it shall be forbidden to enter, traverse, or camp in without a special 

 written permit from the competent authorities ; and in which scientific 

 investigations may only be undertaken by permission of those authorities. 



3. The expression ' animal ' or ' species ' shall denote all vertebrates 

 and invertebrates (including non-edible fish, but not including edible 

 fish except in a national park or strict natural reserve), their nests, eggs, 

 egg-shells, skins, and plumage. 



You will see that not only do the African Powers contemplate the creation 

 of National Parks but also of another type of reserve which they denominate 

 a strict natural reserve. This was put in at the instance of the French 

 Government, who were anxious to provide for the creation of areas for the 

 preservation of fauna and flora to which the public should not have access 

 except under very definite restrictions, that is to say, they were to be created 

 for purely scientific purposes, while the National Parks are to afford as much 

 access to the general public as is possible compatible with their reasons for 

 existence. Now in England we are apt to be rather more loose in our 

 terminology and National Parks cover a very wide field — in fact, they cover 

 any natural reserve or open space to which the public have access regardless 

 as to whether they are to be devoted to the species of fauna and flora or not, 

 and to-day I propose to devote myself to the methods of utilising the National 

 Parks of this country on the lines contemplated in the African Convention. 

 I may say that there are a number of National Parks throughout the world 

 devoted to fauna preservation. In Africa, for example, there are the Pare 

 National Albert in the Belgian Congo and the Kruger National Park in 

 South Africa. The success that has attended the creation of these parks 

 might, I think, tempt us to try and do something of the kind in this country. 

 We have not the rich fauna of South Africa or of the Congo, but we have 

 a very interesting native fauna which, if it is not protected, must in time 

 gradually disappear, and I feel that now that there is this strong movement 

 in favour of creating national parks in this country we should take the 

 opportunity of creating one at least which is mainly devoted to the pre- 

 servation of fauna and flora. 



It will be within the knowledge of this meeting that a Standing Com- 

 mittee on National Parks, of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England 

 and Wales, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Norman Birkett, is in existence, 

 and a preliminary Group is being formed of members of both Houses of 



