THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. XVI, No, 4. 



JULY, 1909. 



AFFORESTATION OF CATCHMENT AREAS. 



The supply of water obtained from land forming a "catch- 

 ment area" is materially affected by the planting of trees. 

 It has been found that the moisture in the soil underlying 

 trees is much better conserved than it is in open country, so 

 that more water drains from a wooded area than from one 

 devoid of trees; while, in addition, the flow is maintained 

 more equably throughout the year, thus tending to prevent 

 floods on the one hand, and water-famines on the other. In 

 addition to the direct improvement of these areas in point of 

 suitability for the supply of water, the sale of timber may 

 become after a time a relatively important source of revenue. 



These considerations induced the Departmental Committee 

 on British Forestry in 1902 to recommend that the attention 

 of Corporations and Municipalities should be drawn to the 

 desirability of planting with trees the catchment areas of their 

 water supply, and in communicating this recommendation to 

 the Local Authorities the opportunity was taken to ascertain 

 some particulars as to the area and character of their catch- 

 ment areas. These particulars were given in this Journal, 

 November, 1904, p. 468; and with a view to ascertain what 

 steps have been taken since that date, the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries have recently asked the Local Authorities prin- 

 cipally concerned for an account of any work in the direction 

 of planting the areas under their control which has since been 

 carried out. 



The result of the inquiry shows that in the majority of 

 cases, even where Local Authorities are in possession of the 

 freehold, or have long leases of their catchment areas, very 

 little progress has yet been made. In a few cases, on the other 



, ; • ' : U 



