The Breckland 217 



(B) AFFORESTATION IN THE BRECKLAND 



By J. Macdonald, b.sc. 

 Divisioiial Officer, H.M. Forestry Commission 



The Forestry Act of 1919 initiated something new in the rural economy 

 of this country when it set in motion the work of afforesting large areas 

 of land under the control of the state. The Forestry Commission, estab- 

 lished under the Act, was set the task of safeguarding the national supplies 

 of timber and other forest produce by creating in Great Britain an area of 

 woodland large enough to tide the country over a period of emergency of 

 about three years. For this purpose it was estimated that, in addition to the 

 existing areas of woodland, mostly privately owned, it would be necessary 

 to create about one and tliree-quarter million acres of entirely new forest. 



The land for this enterprise must be capable of growing trees to a size 

 at which they can be utilised. This means that large areas of land in this 

 country, at present contributing little to the national resources, have had 

 to be excluded from consideration because they are too exposed and high 

 lying and because their soils are too poor even for the less exacting species 

 of tree. On the other hand, it would not be in the national interest to 

 include good agricultural land, although this is generally capable of growing 

 excellent trees, particularly hardwoods. Consequently, the land for 

 planting has been sought where possible in areas which are not too exposed 

 or too high lying, and yet which are uncultivated or on the margin of 

 economic cultivation. 



The Breckland is a good example of the type of country into wliich 

 forestry can be introduced without displacing, or threatening, any vital 

 national interest. So far as can be known, the district has always been poorly 

 wooded, although the plantations which have been made since the middle 

 of the eighteenth century have shown that numerous species are capable 

 of making good growth and reaching timber size. A great part of the area 

 has not been cultivated within memory but has remained as open heath, 

 formerly a pasturage for sheep but given over latterly to game and rabbits.' 

 It is estimated that about 19 per cent of the total area planted by the 

 Commissioners in Breckland has been at one time or another under the 

 plough. Much of tliis, however, has in recent years been cropped only for 

 game feed, while a considerable part was broken up during the war under 

 the "Food Production" schemes. 



' See p. 214 above. 



