ENG-1953 — Page 85

PRODUCTION

is not, therefore, production but rather protection of the soil and water supplies. Before the war quite considerable areas of forest had been established on the Island and in various areas in the New Territories, and most of the roadsides had been planted with ornamental and shade trees. During the hostilities and Japanese occupation nearly all the forest and many of the roadside trees were destroyed and since 1945, the Forestry Division has been trying to make good the damage by replanting. Early in 1953, however, it became apparent that much of this replanting work had been completed and that the time had come to plan afforestation of new areas. At about the same time, the Tai Lam Chung Reservoir scheme was started and it was important to consider afforestation of the new catchment area of this reservoir. It was a convenient time to review forest conditions in the Colony and to make plans for the future.

Agricultural land, mining areas, towns and residential areas only account for a small area of the land area of the Colony and it has been estimated that nearly three-quarters of the land area is hill land, mostly grass covered but with occasional areas of scrub forest in the ravines and valleys. Local villagers make some use of the more accessible areas for grazing, grass cutting and, to some extent, for growing pine trees but generally the land is not fully or properly used. Grass cutting and fire gradually destroy the vegetation and lead to soil erosion, floods and silting of agricultural land and reservoirs. With insufficient cover the soil becomes hard baked and incapable of absorbing the heavy summer rainfall, so that the reservoirs become quickly filled during flood periods and much valuable water is lost over the dams. Then, in the dry season, as there is no reserve of water held in the soil, the small streams soon dry up and water shortages are common. Forestry can make use of this waste hill land and has the advantage of protecting the soil and safeguarding water supplies, in addition to producing timber and fuel for the local markets. Bearing in mind these con-

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