Forest Laws. 291 



emor; and three members chosen by the provincial 

 council ; in addition, each communal council was to send 

 one member to take part in the deliberations of the board 

 as far as his particular commune was interested. 



By this law the country is divided into two sections 

 vertically, namely the territory above and that below the 

 limit of chestnut, the latter being that representing the 

 farming country. To the former the restrictions of the 

 law apply as a rule (t&rreni soggetti al vincolo forestale 

 — ^ban forest), to the latter, as exception, namely where 

 the removal of forest or brush cover might cause land- 

 slides, or affect stream flow or health conditions unfavor- 

 ably. The chestnut limit naturally varies in different 

 parts, but, generally speaking, lies between 1,800 and 

 2,000 feet elevation. The determination of these areas 

 was to be made by the provincial forest committees, and 

 it is significant to note that in these the forest admin- 

 istration did not have the majority. 



The territory under restriction was in 1887, after 

 various revisions, established as comprising 7.5 million 

 acres of forest and 2.5 million acres of brush and waste, 

 leaving 2.5 of forest and somewhat over 2 million of 

 brush and waste outside the working of the law; these 

 latter are left entirely without restrictions, except as 

 general police regulations apply. 



The execution of the law and regulations is left to 

 the State Forest Department with an organization of 

 forest guards (some 3,000 in 1883), appointed by the 

 prefect of the province with the advice of the forestry 

 commission, but acting under the State forest admin- 

 istration. Their pay was to come to the extent of two- 

 thirds from the communes, the other third from the 

 provincial treasurer. 



