279 

 Appendix, 



THE NATIONAL PARKS AND FOREST RESERVES OF 

 AUSTRALIA. 



Being Addresses by W. H. Selway, as Chairman of the Fields 

 Naturalists' Section of the Royal Society of South Australia,, 

 and read at its annual meetings on September 21, 1909, and 

 September 20, 1910. 



In thinking over a subject for this address it occurred to me 

 that, as this Section took such an active part in securing the 

 National Park as an inalienable heritage for the people, and so 

 much difficulty was experienced in getting the 2,000 acres or so- 

 which comprise the Park; as, moreover, similar obstacles are now 

 being encountered in the effort to obtain what is considered to be 

 a suitable area on Kangaroo Island for a Fauna and Flora Reserve 

 — I thought it would be interesting to see what has been done, and 

 is being done, in the other States in a similar direction. Closely 

 associated with the National Park question is that of Forest 

 Reserves, and in view of the attention this subject is receiving in 

 other parts of the world, notably in Amercia, I determined to in- 

 clude both topics in this address. In America "The Conservation 

 of our Natural Resources" has been receiving the earnest consider- 

 ation of some of the most capable and thoughtful men of that- 

 great country, including that far-seeing and true statesman. Presi- 

 dent Roosevelt. It is significant that the threat of a wood-short- 

 age first brought home the realization that the natural resources 

 were being recklessly wasted. The forest problem opened the eyes 

 of the people (of America) to the condition of their natural resources 

 as a whole. It was seen that national progress, even national 

 existence, depended upon reform in the methods of using the 

 natural riches of the land. As an outcome the Inland Waterways 

 Commission was appointed by the President in March, 1907. This 

 led to a widening of the subject, and a great Conference was held 

 in Washington last year (May, 1908), composed of 

 the Governors of the States and Territories, together 

 with men of national prominence, familiar from ex- 

 perience in business life with the four great classes 

 of resources — the forests, waters, mines, and the soil. The 

 outcome was a "Declaration of Principles," which contains words 

 of wisdom which time forbids me quoting in full, but which are 

 worth the careful perusal of everyone w*ho has his country's wel- 

 fare at heart. Permit me just to give one or two extracts: "We 

 agree that our country's future is involved in this — that the great 

 natural resources supply the material basis upon which our civili- 

 zation must continue to depend, and upon which the perpetuity of 

 the nation itself rests." . . . "We agree that the forests, 

 which regulate our rivers, support our industries, and promote 

 the fertility and productiveness of the soil should be preserved and 

 perpetuated." . . . "We urge the continuation and extension 

 of forest policies adapted to secure the husbanding and renewal 

 of our diminishing timber supply." . . . "We recognize that 

 the private ownership of forest lands entails responsibilities in the 

 interests of all the people," and concludes in the words: "Let us 

 conserve the foundations of our prosperity." 



In President Roosevelt's last message to Congress he deals with 

 the question of the conservation of the natural resources of the coun- 



