PRIMARY PRODUCTION
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combined with the prevalent hill fires of the dry season, has brought about soil erosion in many parts of the Colony. Villagers often have forestry lots on the lower hill slopes, but the trees, mostly pine, are generally so scattered and lopped that they rarely alter the barren aspect of the land. In certain localities however there are substantial stands of dense village pine woods, some established with govern- ment assistance 10 to 15 years ago, which could now provide useful yields of poles and small-sized timber.
Government afforestation areas are mostly co-extensive with the watersheds. The main ones are the mountain range from Tai Po in the east to Castle Peak in the west and the catchments of the Kowloon reservoirs, the Hong Kong Island reservoirs, Shek Pik reservoir on Lantau Island and the Shap Long peninsula. These areas total 47 square miles of which 19 square miles have been planted to date. The principal species planted in the past has been Pinus Massoniana but in recent years more use has been made of the American slash pine, Pinus elliottii. Of the hardwood species, Tristania conferta, Acacia confusa and Casuarina stricta are the most successful.
Planting usually starts in spring and continues until June or July. Trees planted after July usually have too short a period to become well established before the onset of the dry season. 1968 was particularly favourable for planting; the rains in February and March enabled an early start of planting and the bulk was com- pleted by the end of July. The operation involved 510,000 trees mostly in plantations destroyed' by fire in the past few years.
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Fire is an annual hazard to the forest and each year considerable areas are damaged or destroyed. Although fires caused by careless picnickers are a constant hazard, the greatest dangers lie in rural and traditional practices ceremonies at hill graves, burning weed growth on farms, and deliberate lighting of hill vegetation to obtain fresh grazing. To combat the threat of hill fires during the dry winter months, forestry fire crews equipped with portable high-pressure fire pumps and vehicles are mounted at 13 protection posts in the New Territories and islands. These are connected by field telephone to lookout posts on hill tops where in times of hazard a constant watch is kept for the outbreak of any fires.