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15. Progress in Forest Reservation (Standard Form II.) This is an important matter which, so far, has received little attention in this Colony. It was not possible to devote much time to it during the year owing to the claims of other matters. The survey of the reserve at Taipo Kau was completed and the possibility of instituting one large reserve on the Kowloon hills, to include all present forest areas in that district and to provide a tree covering for the whole range from Kowloon Reservoir to Customs Pass was investigated. The latter has a direct bearing on survey mentioned under Agriculture.
16. Forest Communications—So far as the forest areas are concerned they consist entirely of forestry paths. The total length of these is 54 miles and they are cleared and repaired annually in conjunction with the fire barriers.
17. Summary of Forest Offences (Standard Form V.)—As before, departmental Table I is retained for record purposes and the standard form is modified to meet local requirements. An analysis of Table I indicates that as usual, the greatest trouble was in the sections adjacent to the thickly populated areas namely, Shau-kiwan, Victoria, Wongneichong and Harbour Belt (Kowloon). Reference has been made elsewhere (page 1) to the cost of firewood and other contributing factors and the increase in forestry offences is directly attributable to the continuance of this abnormal state of affairs.
18. The usual seasonal influence was again noticeable, the warmer months (May to September inclusive) producing fewer cases. The outbreak of the European war soon produced an effect, departmental arrests jumping from 84 in September to 211 in October. This was due largely to an abnormal rise in firewood prices brought about by a rumoured shortage of market supplies. Such manoeuvres resulted in increased activity on the part of illicit tree cutters. To meet the trouble additional men had to be employed for protection purposes. Cases for the year were departmental 1,370, police 1,330—Total 2,700. These figures give some idea of the difficulty of the task when it is remembered that only some 22 square miles of forest is involved.
19. Progress in Afforestation (Standard Form VI.)—Additional afforestation to the extent of 1334 acres was carried out during the year. The opportunity was taken to obtain data in respect to afforestation methods (i.e. in situ sowing and broadcasting on different types of area) on a larger scale than is afforded by the acre experimental plots in the Taipo Kau forest reserve. For this purpose an area of 89 acres in Plantation 30 was dealt with. This area has been badly denuded in recent years and in view of the fact that it is the catchment area for the Taikoo reservoirs, a special effort was made to re-afforest some of the upper parts of the section. Areas totalling 65 acres received in situ sowing for which 79,345 pits were dug. 234 acres received broadcasting only and 1 acre was planted up with 1 year old seedlings. Interesting results were obtained and the experiments are being watched very carefully. It is hoped to obtain data which may be of value in the general afforestation operations of the department. The balance of the afforested areas (441 acres) was dealt with by broadcasting. The total amount of seed (Pinus Massoniana Lamb.) used in all operations was approximately 3,000 lbs.
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20. Areas dealt with were Hong Kong—Plantation 3C (Quarry Bay) 891 acres; Deepwater Bay (bare hill top) 10 acres. Mainland Shing Mun Reservoir experimental area 15 acres; Shing Mun Catchwater slopes 10 acres; Mt. Temple Military Road slopes 94 acres. Total 1332 acres. In addition to these, unmeasured areas were broadcast at the following places Hong Kong Lyemun Barracks 100 lbs. seed; Peak Road Storage Reservoir 100 lbs. seed; Country Club, Fanling 20 lbs. seed. Various other small areas were dealt with involving the use of about 100 lbs. seed. In addition to the above, tree planting for afforestation purposes was carried out at the Country Club, Fanling, 600 trees (Acacia, Casuarina, Tristania, Bauhinia) being planted. Also, planting for military purposes (chiefly screening) was carried out in various areas.