By the UNITED KINGDOM DELEGATION
VOLUNTARY returns at the outbreak of war in 1914 gave the approximate area of woodland in Great Britain as 2,752,500 acres (1,113,900 ha.), less than 3 percent of which was under the control of the State and public authorities.
The 1924 Census classified the woodland more carefully into two broad categories: a) Economic or Potentially Productive - 2,754,379 acres (1,114,661 ha.), and b) Uneconomic - 204,293 acres (82,675 ha.). The Potentially Productive Woodland was further subdivided into High Forest, 1,416,890 acres (573,397 ha.); Coppice, 528,680 acres (213,950 ha.); Scrub, 330,703 acres (133,831 ha.); and Felled or Devastated, 478,106 acres (193,483 ha.). The total woodland area in the United Kingdom was returned at 2,958,672 acres (1,197,336 ha.) or 5.3 percent of the total area of the country.
Prior to 1914, the United Kingdom was almost wholly dependent upon imported timber supplies. During the 191418 war, imports had to be drastically reduced and home resources exploited to the maximum extent. Between 191519 some 450,000 acres (182,000 ha.) of the best of the home-grown stands, young and old alike, were cut down.
The results of this drastic action were felt throughout the interwar period and fellings continued at a rate above the annual increment - total annual fellings immediately before the 1939-45 war were estimated at 45 million cubic feet (1.3 million m³) per annum, indicating a yield of only 15 cubic feet per acre (1.1 m³ per ha.), which was nevertheless higher than the annual rate of increase.
Quite obviously the time between the two wars was insufficient in which to make good the depletion caused in 1914-18, or to establish the proper age-class distribution.
FORESTRY POLICY DURING THE INTER-WAR PERIOD
In 1919 the Forestry Commission was set up under the Forestry Act and a State Forest Service came into being. The long-term objective was to afforest 1,770,000 acres (716,000 ha.) of land unplanted over a period of 80 years and at the same time to take steps to secure an increased yield from 3 million acres (1.2 million ha.) of private woodland which existed in 1914.
The immediate objective, a ten-year installment of the full plan, was to afforest 150,000 acres (61,000 ha.) by direct State action, and by State assistance to private owners to secure the reafforestation of a further 110,000 acres (44,517 ha.). The program included other ancillary work, chiefly in the direction of research and education.
By 1929, State and State-aided plantings amounted to 215,015 acres (87,014 ha.). By 1939, the total of State plantings had increased to 368,878 acres (149,280 ha.), and 125,862 acres (50,935 ha.) had been planted by private owners with the aid of State grants, snaking a total of 494,740 acres (200,215 ha.) of afforestation and replanting since the end of the 1914-18 war
H. J. Hutchinson, head of United Kingdom delegation
DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE 1939-45 WAR
When war broke out in 1939 plans had been laid to exploit the remaining British woodlands and fellings commenced without delay, to continue throughout the war years without thought for the future. To win the war was the only consideration and the timber felled was equivalent to 18 million shipping tons (18.3 million metric tons). The stands sacrificed included all classes of timber - softwoods and hardwoods - and owing to the vital need for the production of coal and for other services, no regard could be taken of age or species, the consequence being the wholesale sacrifice of young plantations to provide pit-props and poles, and of older stands for saw timber.
The full extent of the acreage sacrificed is not yet known but it is certain that not less than half of the growing stock remaining in 1939 has gone. Unfortunately, owing to the serious European shortage of timber supplies, felling at a most extravagant and disastrous rate has still to be continued; current fellings are now mostly hardwoods, resources in homegrown softwood being practically exhausted. Unless adequate supplies of foreign timber are obtainable for importation, the remnants of the forest stands in Great Britain are bound to disappear. As it is, even if indiscriminate felling can speedily be brought to a stop, there is little prospect of obtaining from home sources more than 2 percent of very large future requirements.
It is therefore an urgent duty to conserve the exiguous growing stocks that remain in Great Britain and to replant and reafforest as quickly as possible.
POSTWAR FORESTRY POLICY
The United Kingdom Government recently published the Forestry Commission's plans for a future forestry policy. The "desirable program" advocated is to afforest 3 million acres (1.2 million ha.) of bare land and to replant 2 million acres (800,000 ha.) of existing woodland, thus to provide a total of 5 million acres (2 million ha.) of systematically managed forest. The time allowed for this work is 50 years. Pro vision is also made for increased scope for research, education, and publications.
The government has now approved this plan in principle and has authorized a five years' installment for which the sum of 20 million pounds has been earmarked. In regard to private woodland, the Forestry Commission is instituting a system of "dedication" whereby in return for State aid the owner will undertake certain obligations and the land will henceforward be dedicated to the growing of timber as a first consideration.
This task presents considerable difficulties of organization. The necessary technical and administrative staffs are being trained and appointed as quickly as possible, land for afforestation is being acquired, and supplies of transplants are being raised. The State planting program for the current season is 30,000 acres (12,000 ha.) and the area-to be planted annually is to be increased sharply to 125,000 acres (50,000 ha.) in the seventh year of the first decade.
The United Kingdom has been an importer of timber from early medieval times and is now the largest importer of all importing nations. The rapid increase of population in the nineteenth century and after tended enormously to intensify dependence upon imports which had grown to 95 percent of total consumption by 1939. Unless and until the Forestry Commission's " desirable program " is well under way, reliance upon imports will inevitably be still more complete. In the meantime, excessive fellings of home timber must cease immediately or none will be left.
As a contribution to victory the British woods have been ruthlessly exploited without regard to future supply or the principles of forest management for which foresters of all nations stand. None other of the belligerent nations has suffered comparable sacrifice of forest resources. Henceforth the woodlands must be managed as perpetually renewable crops and reasonable requirements met from overseas.
The United Kingdom will gladly cooperate in the worldwide task of bringing forestry practice to its proper level in the service of mankind.
