§ 35. Mr. Wakefieldasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken in the Crown Colonies, and more particularly in Uganda and Kenya, to prevent the wholesale destruction of 326 the forests, with a view to avoiding the ill-effects which inevitably follow upon such destruction?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreForest policy in the Colonies is directed towards the preservation of the natural forests and the increase of the area under forest, if necessary, in order to meet the needs of the territory concerned. All timber exploitation on Crown lands is controlled by Government, under licence, and care is taken to see that replanting keeps pace with cutting. I am satisfied that this general policy is being carried out. A comprehensive policy of forest utilisation has been devised and is being carried out in Uganda, and in Kenya, Government has been carrying out a policy of conservation and regeneration so far as the resources available allow.
§ 36. Mr. Wakefieldasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that thousands of acres of virgin forest in Kenya have been cut down and are still being cut down for use as fuel on the railways; that replanting has not been done nor is now taking place; and will he take steps to remedy this state of affairs?
§ Mr. Ormsby-GoreI am aware that wood fuel is used on the Kenya and Uganda Railway, but I can assure the hon. Member that the Forestry Departments of both Kenya and Uganda are fully alive to the need for replanting and for scientific exploitation of the forest resources of the territories. In the last eight years, according to the information at my disposal, over 30,000 acres have been replanted in Kenya, and in Uganda more than 2,000,000 trees were planted in 1935 by the native administrations alone, apart from the work done by the Government Forestry Department, which has engaged in systematic plantation for fuel since 1930. The railway now imports a considerable quantity of coal, and there is, in my opinion, no longer the same danger that its demands for fuel will be allowed to inflict serious injury upon the forest resources of the territories.