Britain: An official handbook > 1956

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BRITAIN: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
The Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission was established under the Forestry Acts, 1919-47, to
promote the interests of forestry, the development of afforestation and the produc¬
tion and supply of timber in the United Kingdom. From 1922, however, the
Forestry Commission’s authority related only to Great Britain, as the Northern
Ireland Ministry of Agriculture became the forest authority for Northern Ireland
(see p. 167). The Forestry Act, 1945, made the Minister of Agriculture and
Fisheries and the Secretary of State for Scotland jointly responsible for forest
policy in Great Britain, but the Forestry Commission continued to carry out
forestry operations, research and training of foresters. The Forestry Act, I951,
placed on the Forestry Commissioners responsibility for the maintenance of an
adequate reserve of growing trees in Great Britain and gave them powers to
regulate the felling of trees by the issue of licences.
During the years 1919-541 the Forestry Commission acquired 2,038,100 acres
of land through the Forestry Fund (see p. 167), under the Forestry (Transfer of
Woods) Act, 1923, and by gifts. This total comprises 1,254,100 acres classified as
‘forest land’, which is either planted or will be planted in due course, and 784,000
acres of ‘other land’ which includes forest nurseries, rough grazing, agricultural
land and land unsuitable for planting on account of soil conditions and locality. The
total number of Commission forests in Great Britain at 3°th September 1954 was
479 of which 199 were in England, 201 in Scotland and 79 in Wales.
Policy
Great Britain’s forest policy, laid down in the various Acts, is to extend State and
private operations so as to establish, over 50 years, 5 million acres of well-managed
woodlands, made up of 3 million acres of new planting by the Commission and the
replanting by the Commission and private owners of 2 million acres of existing
woodland. The annual yield from these 5 million acres should be about 35 per cent
of the national timber requirements.
The restoration of privately owned woodlands is being assisted by the Dedication
Scheme and other schemes under which grants are paid. The Dedication Scheme
was initiated by the Forestry Act, 1947, and under it owners are invited to put their
land permanently to timber production and to manage their woods in accordance
with a plan agreed with the Forestry Commission. In addition to financial grants,
free technical advice is provided by the Commission.
Forestry Education and Research
The Commission maintains five Forester Training Schools: in England, at
Parkend in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, and at Lynford Hall, nea.r Thetford
in Norfolk; in Wales, at Bettws-y-Coed in Caernarvonshire; and in Scotland at
Benmore, Argyllshire, and Faskally, near Pitlochry in Perthshire. Northerwood
House, the Commission’s educational centre in the New Forest, Hampshire, is used
for practical courses for university students, landowners and agents, planning
officers, school teachers and others connected with forestry.
Higher education in forestry is provided at several universities, suitable graduates
being recruited by the Commission as forest officers.
In 1946 Alice Holt Lodge, Famham, Surrey, was opened by the Commission as
a forest research station. Grants are made for research on special forestry problems
of a fundamental scientific nature to be carried out by universities and other institu¬
tions qualified to undertake such work. Expenditure on research and experiment in
1954 amounted to £222,000.
1 To the end of the Forest Year 1954 (30th September 1954)-