A Brief History of Forestry.: In Europe, the United States and Other CountriesFernow, B. E. (Bernhard Eduard)
History
A Brief History of Forestry.: In Europe, the United States and Other Countries
Fernow, B. E. (Bernhard Eduard)
Forests and forestry -- History
About 10% of the land area, or 4 million acres are under forest,
although 2 million more are wooded with olive, fig, almond plantations,
or open woodlands and brushwood. Of the actual forest area the State
owns only 82,000 acres, 30,000 of which reforested areas or sand dunes
in process of recovery.
The composition is nearly one-half of pine (_Pinus maritima_ and
_pinea_), one-fifth, cork oak “with pastures,” a little over one-fifth,
other evergreen oaks “with pastures,” and the balance, chestnut and
deciduous oaks.
The fact of the extensive private ownership and the reference to the
pastures in the enumeration of forest areas suffice to give an idea of
the condition of most of them. The oak forest is also to a large extent
still used for hog raising.
Besides the native forest areas, there are in existence a number of
parks and plantations of exotics, the climate of Portugal in parts
resembling that of California and permitting a wide range of
introductions, even tropical. There is perhaps nowhere such a good
opportunity of seeing the most varied forest flora in fine development
as the forest parks of Montserrate, of Bussaco, and in the various
botanical gardens.
Extensive Eucalyptus and Acacia plantations, some 1500 acres, of high
economical value, near Abrantés, are the enterprise of a private
landowner, W. C. Tait.
The deficiency of wood supplies is covered by an importation of about
1.5 million dollars against which there is an export of a little over
half a million, mainly cooperage stock. The best developed forest
industry is the growing of cork giving rise to an export of around 5
million dollars. A considerable naval store production is also
developed.
* * * * *
The first attempt at a real management of the State’s property dates
from 1868; a regular organization, however, did not take place until
1872, when, under the Director-General of Commerce and Industries, a
forest administrator with a technical staff of three division chiefs,
corresponding to the three sections of country, and six forestmasters
were installed.
At present, the staff of the Inspector consists of 8 technically
educated assistants, each in charge of some branch of service. Under
these, there are a number of field agents or supervisors (some 14 in
1903) with less education, and underforesters and guards.
The only really well managed forest, the pride of the Portuguese
foresters, is the forest of Leiria in Estremadura, a planted pinery of
about 25,000 acres, on which over 50 men of various grades are employed,
with naval store distilleries, impregnating works, and saw mills. Its
management (in natural seed tree system) dates from 1892.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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