An Outline of Norwegian Forestry
Knut Skinmensoen. 104 pp. Illus. Det Norske Skogselskap, Oslo, 1957.
The Norwegian Forestry Society has just published in English a small booklet which gives, in a condensed form, a very precise idea of Norwegian forestry. It is an excellent contribution to co-operation between foresters on a regional and world-wide scale, and it is to be hoped that the example will be followed in many other countries and in other languages.
The plan of the booklet is simple and could be taken as a model. Having described in broad outlines the physical conditions of the country and its forest vegetation, it gives a clear statistical picture of the country's resources and of the structure of forest ownership. Two chapters are devoted to the historical development of the forest. to the effect of this on the present forestry situation and to the evolution of silviculture and management. Factors likely to cause damage to the forest are treated at some length. Then there is an important chapter on economics and forest policy containing statistical information on trends in the price of timber and interesting information on the cost of forest operations, the financing of development programs, and taxation. The chapters which follow are devoted to methods of felling and transport, to labor problems, the organization of administration, research and education, as well as a brief summary of the most important forest law of the country: the Forest Protection Act of 1932.
The second part gives an excellent survey of Norway's most important forest industry, pulp and paper.
The final pages are devoted to measures taken for the protection of wildlife and nature, and contain a list of the principal forestry associations and forest industries, as well as forestry periodicals. At a moment when European governments rightly attach so much importance to the problem of the small private woodland, it is very interesting to read how Norway has solved the problem by a strict application of the principle " freedom with responsibility ". The booklet leaves one with the strong impression that Norway, which has more than 70 percent of its forests in private ownership, is extremely well organized to derive the maximum benefit from its forests in the national interest.
Storia del Diritto Forestale in Italia.
(HISTORY OF ITALIAN FOREST LAW). Romualdo Trifone. 375 pp. - Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali, Firenze 1957.
This study is of interest for the amount and quality of the information which it gives on the development of forest law and legislation in the different periods of the history of the Italian peninsula. It also contains much of interest on the history of land utilization and the planned integration of the forest in this utilization. The case of Italy is of particular moment inasmuch as here is an example of a Mediterranean country, where the pressure of population on the land available for agriculture has been felt acutely for a long period. This history can be traced through from the first centuries of our era, and even for some centuries before that. Lastly Italian forest law directly stems from Roman law which has served as the foundation of jurisprudence of so many countries of Europe and the New World; it has also been subject to the influence of German law since the Middle Ages.
The book is divided into six main parts. The first examines the foundations of Roman law and Germanic law with regard to forestry. The second part describes the evolution of forest law from the 12th century to the beginning of the 19th century in each of the kingdoms, duchies and republics. The third summarizes the forest legislation of the various states on the eve of the unification of Italy. The three last sections analyze the progress of ideas in forest legislation from this period up to the decisive law of 25 July 1952.
One may be surprised to find that a number of characteristics which might have been thought to be contemporary were already in existence in one of the Italian States centuries ago. The idea of restricting the rights of the private forest owner when the destruction of his forest is against the general interests of the State, although quite contrary to the principles of Roman law, goes back to very ancient times. The need to control public rights of usage also appeared quite early. Certain States early imposed restrictions not only in relation to land and water protection but for economic reasons: provision of fuelwood for certain industries, and above all provision of timber for ship building. From the 17th century onwards, the Venetian Re. public had a very elaborate body of forest legislation in this regard. As to the public forest rights many elements were already contained in Roman law, with the distinction which has remained fundamental for so long, between the selva caedua and the selva non caedua.
The pervading feature of the history of Italian forest legislation is undoubtedly the deliberate intention firstly not to divorce forestry from the general rural and agricultural economy, and particularly from the economy of mountainous country.
Hough's Encyclopaedia of American Woods.
E. S. Harrar. 240 and 25 pp. Illus. Distributed by Interscience Publishers Inc., 250 Fifth Avenue, New York, 1957. U.S. $25.00.
The fourteenth and final volume of the original series of this classical work was published in 1928, four years after the death of its author, Romeyn Beck Hough. A completely new version is being published of which Volume I is at present available. Further volumes are planned to appear every six months.
Each volume of the new version consists of two parts. The first part is a text volume written by Dr. Harrar containing up-to-date information on the habitat of the tree and the structure and utilization of woods. The second part consists of three wood sections of each of 25 woods, many of them the actual wood sections by the late Romeyn Beck Hough. Others will be cut as required, using machines of his design.
Fifteen volumes, dealing with 25 woods each, will be devoted to American woods. Additional volumes will be devoted to European woods, exotic woods, and wood technology.
