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
But it can hardly be said that the expectations were realized, and
another such convention was held in 1911, which may perhaps be followed
by better results.
In 1909, following the precedent of the United States, a Conservation
Commission was appointed for the Dominion under federal support, manned
by the leading officials and prominent representative men from all
provinces, and here the forestry interests may find at least educational
advancement. The first two years of the existence of this Commission
have, however, produced little advancement.
While the Ontario government had directly discredited the forestry
movement by abolishing its bureau of forestry, indirectly it laid the
foundation for a sure future, in 1907, by establishing in its provincial
University at Toronto a Faculty of Forestry, with full equipment. A year
later, the Province of New Brunswick also established a chair of
forestry in its University, while some time earlier, the Guelph
Agricultural College had introduced the subject of farm forestry in its
curricula. The latest development in educational direction is the forest
school organized in 1910 by the government of Quebec in connection with
its forest service for the purpose of educating its own agents.
NEWFOUNDLAND.
Newfoundland, probably the first discovery of America by the Norsemen,
remained a mere fishing station until modern times, and, except for the
open coast, unknown as regards the wooded interior, which was supposed
to be largely barren. It became a possession of Great Britain in 1713.
Development did not begin until 1880 when the first railroad was built,
and has progressed more rapidly since the Newfoundland Railway
traversing the entire island was opened in 1898. It was found that,
while the shores and a considerable part of the West and South coast are
barren or poorly timbered, and on the interior plateau large moss
barrens exist, there are extensive timber areas of mixed growth, White
and Red Pine, Balsam and Spruce, with White Birch. A lumber industry,
which by 1904 had grown up to probably not less than 100 million feet,
is rapidly extending over the whole island, and an extensive paper pulp
industry is preparing to establish itself, on timber limits under a
license system similar to that applied in other parts of Canada. Some
5000 square miles are now under license. Forest fires have repeatedly
devastated large areas, especially in 1904. The experience of that year
led to the enactment of a forest fire law, but without any agency to
make it effective.
No forest policy exists, except the commercial restriction of the
license system. A forestry association has lately been formed.
OTHER BRITISH POSSESSIONS AND COLONIES.
Under the influence of the Indian forest service, or stimulated by its
success, some of the other British Colonial governments in Africa and
Australia have attempted and sometimes succeeded in establishing a
forest policy.
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