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seen largely as protection forests. Most of these plantations were approaching maturity, although they were totally destroyed for fuelwood during the Japanese occupation when supplies of fuel wood from China were cut off.
An interesting account of village forestry is given in the Hong Kong Government Gazette of April 1905. "When the New Territory was taken over by the British in 1899 there were about as many large pine trees growing in the district as there are small ones now. The Chinese, being afraid that their new masters would confiscate the trees, began to cut them down wholesale. From the accounts which have been collected there must have been something like eight million disposed of in this way, a course which has been ere now, no doubt, bitterly repented; for as a matter of fact the only restrictions enforced by the Police was with regard to the cutting down of large wild trees and Fung Shui trees round the villages. The confidence of the tree farmers towards English rule having become gradually re-established and safety from encroachments by neighbouring owners being further secured by the presence of the Police, re-afforestation soon began. The scheme of defining and registering the plantation was therefore received in general with great readiness by the farmers who came forward when called on and paid their licence fees. The scheme was designed to encourage the farmers to re-afforest by giving them secure tenure of the trees, to secure re-sowing of felled areas and to provide a proper demarkation of the ground in case of disputes". About 57,000 acres (23,750 ha.) were licenced for planting in 1905.
Early in the British occupation of the New Territories the conservation of the remaining natural woodlands was considered. “It is evident to the most casual observer that primeval forest has almost ceased to exist in this part of China. There can be little doubt that our valleys and probably the greater part of our mountains were once plentifully clothed with luxuriant virgin forest. Patches of such forest can still be seen at Little Hong Kong, in this island and in the more inaccessible parts of the New Territories. The Committee appointed to report on the forestry possibilities of the New Territories in 1904 recommended that certain of these areas should be reserved and protected by Government. During 1905 the areas of natural forest in the greater part of the New Territories were carefully examined and mapped by this department. The total extent of that mapped is about
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seen largely as protection forests. Most of these plantations were approaching maturity, although they were totally destroyed for fuelwood during the Japanese occupation when supplies of fuel wood from China were cut off
An interesting account of village forestry is given in the Hong Kong Government Gazette of April 1905. "When the New Territory was taken over by the British in 1899 there were about as many large pine trees growing in the district as there are small ones now. The Chinese, being afraid that their new masters would confiscate the trees, began to cut them down wholesale. From the accounts which have been collected there must have been something like eight million disposed of in this way, a course which has been ere now, no doubt, bitterly repented; for as a matter of fact the only restrictions enforced by the Police was with regard to the cutting down of large wild trees and Fung Shui trees round the villages. The confidence of the tree farmers towards English rule having become gradually re-established and safety from encroachments by neighbouring owners being further secured by the presence of the Police, re-afforestation soon began. The scheme of defining and registering the plantation was therefore received in general with great readiness by the farmers who came forward when called on and paid their licence fees. The scheme was designed to encourage the farmers to re-afforest by giving them secure tenure of the trees, to secure re-sowing of felled areas and to provide a proper demarkation of the ground in case of disputes". About 57,000 acres (23,750 ha.) were licenced for planting in 1905.
Early in the British occupation of the New Territories the conservation of the remaining natural woodlands was considered. “It is evident to the most casual observer that primeval forest has almost ceased to exist in this part of China. There can be little doubt that our valleys and probably the greater part of our mountains were once plentifully clothed with luxuriant virgin forest. Patches of such forest can still be seen at Little Hong Kong, in this island and in the more inaccessible parts of the New Territories. The Committee appointed to report on the forestry possibilities of the New Territories in 1904 recommended that certain of these areas should be reserved and protected by Government. During 1905 the areas of natural forest in the greater part of the New Territories were carefully examined and mapped by this department. The total extent of that mapped is about
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