© 1964 by Institute of Chartered Foresters
The Beneficent Forest1
In earlier times most of our land was covered with some kind of woodland. Today the forest land percentage in Britain is only 7·1, hence if the forest is beneficent we are claiming little of its benefits. Recent work shows that forest is relatively efficient in utilizing solar energy. Because of the nature of the nitrogen and mineral cycles in the forest it tends to build up soil fertility. Conversely grazing depletes it. Past deforestation has almost completely destroyed an earlier forest fauna, but some rare and interesting animals and plants are increasing with an expanding forest area. A discussion of the influence of forest cover on water supplies leads to the conclusion that if there is a somewhat lower yield compared with some types of grassland this is offset by other benefits such as a reduction in erosion. Forest products are amongst the most important of the world's primary products, and we spend about £450,000,000 per annum on timber and products derived from it. An appeal is made for a still more determined effort to solve the problems of the integration of pastoral agriculture and forestry leading to an extension of the woodland area and a greater claim on the beneficence of the forest.