Sixth session of the FAO conference
Technical assistance notes
Training of forest workers
On the opening day of the Sixth Session of the FAO Conference Rome, 19 November 1951, the Prime Minister of Italy, Sig. de Gasperi, formally handed over to the Organization its new headquarters building. This building now represents the concrete (and marble) fulfillment of that narrow decision of the last regular session of the Conference to transfer the FAO headquarters' activities from Washington to Rome.
The mere physical task of moving across the Atlantic ocean a large international secretariat with its civilian personnel and records confronted the Director-General with no small problem. Storms at sea and the disabling of one of the ships transporting FAO staff and goods were only part of the hazards encountered. Inevitably the move caused serious dislocations in the work of the secretariat and unforeseen delays were experienced in recruiting new staff, adjusting to a strange environment, and in getting work running smoothly again. By the time the FAO Conference assembled the worst of the disturbances were over, and the delegates could concentrate in spacious surroundings on the policy issues confronting them.
During the course of its three week session, the Conference admitted four countries to FAO membership: Argentina, Japan, Nepal and Laos. This brings the active membership to 66 nations, China and all the eastern European countries having now withdrawn from the Organization. One of the melancholy tasks of the Conference was to bid goodbye to Lord Bruce of Melbourne, independent chairman of the FAO Council. His untiring interest and inspiring leadership have been deeply appreciated by the small as well as the large countries that are members of FAO and the Conference expressed its profound gratitude for the benefits FAO had derived from his long and distinguished career of public service. As new chairman of the Council, the Conference elected Mr. Josué de Castro (Brazil), and it renewed the appointment of Norris E. Dodd as Director-General until the end of the next regular session of the Conference in 1953.
Policy Issues
The general tenor of the Conference deliberations was that FAO, using the title as expressing the combined efforts of all the Member Governments, should now begin to show more positive results. Member countries as a whole had only to a small degree fulfilled the obligations they accepted in signing the FAO Constitution, and with exceptions they had not put into operation, on the scale necessary, the recommendations they themselves had repeatedly made. No great purpose could be served merely by a confession of shortcomings. " This is an occasion, " the Director-General said, " for a change of heart. " What governments had to undertake was no small thing, " but can there be the slightest doubt that action along the lines proposed would be to their great and early benefit? "
Some forceful speeches were made by Ministers and other delegates, and the Conference went on record as calling on all member countries to prepare and carry out development plans, suited to their own circumstances and conditions and covering the next five years, designed to improve conditions for increasing food, agricultural and forest production. There were many important elements in any such program, such as the development of water resources, the provision of requisites, research and education, making the technical knowledge of the more advanced countries available for application in the rest of the world and the avoidance of preventable waste in production, use and distribution. The Conference considered that few if any elements were of greater importance than extension education and demonstration work, and these spheres of activity must receive greater attention both by Governments and the Organization. There were various associate problems to which FAO must also give emphasis - reform of agrarian structures (land reform) in the broadest sense, capital investment for development, and migration. A certain amount of work on these problems as they affect forestry has already been done by FAO, and ways in which they may be tackled more coherently are now being examined.
Forestry Panel
These were the broad policy decisions of the Conference. Detailed matters of policy were discussed by technical subjects and, to consider forestry, there were present many senior foresters and heads of services. With other delegates briefed to watch forestry interests there was an average attendance of about 40 members at the meetings of the Forestry Panel a committee of the Conference which, whilst having no official status, prepares proposals and policy decisions for eventual Conference consideration. One of the actions of the Conference was to abolish the Standing Advisory Committees that had been formed in the early days of the Organization to help the Director-General formulate a balanced program for the work of FAO. Their place, in this sphere, is now largely taken by the technical panels - for forestry by the Forestry Panel.
Delegates elected Mr. Lyle Watts, Chief of the United States Forest Service as chairman of the Panel, and Mr. M. D. Chaturvedi, Inspector-General of Forests, India, was appointed rapporteur. For the special item Principles of Forest Policy which is printed in full on pages 2-3, Mr. O. J. Sangar, Director of Forestry, England, was selected as rapporteur. The Forestry Panel broadly reviewed the work of FAO in the field of forestry over the past year and approved in principle the Director-General's proposals with regard to the long-term program. It expressed confidence in the way the separately financed Expanded Technical Assistance Program in forestry was being organized, and felt that support must be given to Mr. Leloup, Director of FAO's Forestry Division, in attempts to eliminate projects of less immediate urgency from the activities which came under FAO's normal budget, even though they had been recommended by various meetings and were especially clear to some interests.
Conference Recommendations
The Conference, in endorsing the conclusions of the Panel, agreed that a Fourth World Forestry Congress should be held in 1954, at a place and date to be decided by the FAO Council after consultation with interested governments. It thought that the proposed Tropical Forestry Congress, which had been asked for by the Third World Forestry Congress, should rather be incorporated into the fourth world meeting where full opportunity should be allowed for the technical discussion of particular problems that concerned tropical countries.
The secretariat was empowered to collect and publish available information on the forest resources of all countries of the world at five-yearly intervals. The results of a first enquiry of this sort had been published in 1948, so that the next could properly be undertaken in 1953. The Conference also authorized the Director-General to constitute, as a temporary measure, an International Chestnut Commission (see Unasylva Vol. V No 4), and asked all Member Governments to organize annually in their countries a " Festival of the Trees " as a means of developing appreciation in the masses of forest values. Standard certificates of quality and origin of seeds of forest tree species were approved for use in establishing authenticity of material, and standard consignment forms were recommended to governments as a means of expediting the international exchange of seeds and plants for scientific purposes. An International Plant Protection Convention designed to prevent the spread and facilitate the control of plant diseases and pests v. as signed by representatives of a number of governments.
A considerable amount of discussion took place on the kind of action which. FAO could best take in regard to land and water utilization and conservation, and how the question of shifting cultivation should be studied by both forestry and agricultural interests. The Director-General's proposals for work in these fields were approved, and also the program relating to range-management and conservation of "wildlands," which will involve the creation of a new section within the Forestry Division to work in close liaison with the Agriculture Division.
Increased Pulp Production
Finally, the Conference considered a request addressed to FAO by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations to lend assistance in long-term efforts to overcome the world shortage of printing paper and newsprint. The Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Torres Bodet, had emphasized the seriousness of the present situation and stated that the position had markedly deteriorated since FAO organized a conference on world pulp problems at Montreal, Canada, in 1949. The Conference recognized that FAO bore a major responsibility for efforts directed towards a solution of the existing situation. The Organization was already working in some degree to this end but should intensify its efforts. Accordingly, the Conference made three recommendations:
(1) that FAO, in consultation with the International Materials Conference (Washington) and other interested intergovernmental agencies, survey the possibilities for increasing the production and transportation facilities for pulpwood;(2) that Member Governments
(a) take action aimed at increasing pulpwood supplies, including adjustments in forest policy such as planting quick-growing pulpable species, and developing and using suitable supplementary or substitute raw materials;(b) consider the advisability of establishing or encouraging new pulp and paper manufacturing plants in areas where permanent supplies of raw materials (including processing materials) in adequate quantities are assured;
(3) that Member Governments avail themselves of facilities provided under the Expanded Technical Assistance Program by addressing formal requests to FAO for (a) exploratory missions to assist in selecting possible sites for new pulp and paper mills taking into account local technical and economic conditions, (b) advisory missions to help in drawing up detailed plans for such mills, with due consideration to the conservation of forest resources and the establishment of the necessary transport facilities.
The Director-General will report periodically to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on the progress achieved in these directions.
Terms of Reference for or Forestry Division
The terms of reference of FAO's Forestry Division were set out in one of the Conference documents as follows.
The Forestry Division acts as technical adviser to the Director-General in all matters concerning forestry, forest products and forest lands and assists him in carrying out relevant recommendations of the Conference and the Council in regard to the conservation and development of forest resources, the improvement of the production, utilization and distribution of forest products, and the raising of living standards through the optimum use of the forest and its produce.
The Division's field of responsibility includes:
A. Forest Policy and Conservation
(1) The formulation of sound conservation policies governing the development and wise use of lands (1) for the production of wood and other forest produce; formulation of policies for the development of forest industries in keeping with sustain(2) formulation of policies designed to regulate waterflow and soil conservation on forest lands (as defined in footnote 1), the use of forest for protection of rivers and reservoirs against silting, and for the protection of communities against disastrous floods; the wise use of such forest lands for such purposes as grazing, (2) recreation and protection of wild life
(3) joint responsibility with the Agriculture Division in land mapping and classification, land utilization and conservation policies, and the problems of shifting cultivation (in regard to forest land as defined in footnote 1);
(4) promoting knowledge by the public of the importance of forests and forestry in national economies; scientific, technical, and propaganda films, education and training of professional foresters and tecnicians, subordinate forest staffs, forest and industrial workers; extension services for private forest owners; improvement of living conditions of forest workers and of communities living in or from the forest.
(1) The lands which are the special responsibility of the Forestry Division in performing its functions comprise all forest land as defined by sound national forest policies, including grazing, recreation and watershed protection lands within forest boundaries and forming integral parts of forested areas. Outside the boundaries of the forests so defined, are large areas of land at present of low economic value but suitable for development as forest or agricultural land. These are the joint responsibility of the Forestry Division and the Agriculture Division. The former Division is concerned with any misuse of such lands endangering forest lands, soil and water conservation over large areas, and also with the possible future use of such lands for forests. The latter Division is responsible for the conservation of such lands, their use for grazing, and their development for agricultural purposes. Co-operation between the two Divisions is maintained for the implementation of these respective responsibilities ed maintenance of the forest resource the development of a suitable body of forest law; the planning and organization of efficient administrative services; the co-ordination of national forest policies on the international level; and the formulation of international accords on basic principles of forest policy and on measures requiring action by governments;(2) With technical advice from the Agriculture Division on grazing problems.
B. Research and Technology
Improvement of forest yields and improved utilization, with special attention to:
(1) silviculture; promotion of forest research; application of appropriate silvicultural methods to all forests' productive, protective, or other important functions, increased yields from managed forest, rational development of forests not in use; improved productivity of degraded forests; appropriate management, in accordance with forestry principles, extended to all forests;(2) afforestation and reforestation the creation or restoration of forests by artificial seeding or planting, with the object of restraining soil erosion, improving waterflow, restoring soil fertility, providing amenities, or producing increased supplies of forest products;
(3) forest protection; technical and administrative methods of combatting fire, insects, and diseases; improvement of forest protection practices; international reporting of outbreaks of pests and diseases;
(4) forestry equipment, collecting documentation and data and issuing catalogues; advice and assistance in the use of the most suitable equipment and machinery for forestry operations, nursery and planting work, logging, transportation, and conversion;
(5) modernization and integration of forest industries; introduction of modern methods and equipment in existing industries; improved productivity and reduction of costs; integration of industries with the forest and forest management; investigation of yields and capital needs;
(6) promoting wood chemistry research; improvement in the chemical utilization of forest crops, new techniques and products; high-yield pulping methods, and use of new raw materials such as tropical timbers, hardwoods, bamboos;
(7) mechanical utilization of wood; rational methods of using timbers based on a thorough knowledge of mechanical and physical properties; standardization of sizes and grades of commercial forest products standardization of terminology and nomenclature, testing methods; terms and procedures.
C. Forest Economics
Stimulation of wood production and consumption with special attention to:
(1) inventories of forest resources; securing increased accuracy and comparability in their results, improved methods and techniques in carrying out inventories; collecting statistics to enable regional and world appraisals of forest resources to be prepared and published(2) appraisal of social and economic aspects of forest management and of industrial development, estimation of capital value of forest and of utilities derived from forests taxes, insurance, credits and cooperatives, land tenure; colonization and immigration. Advice and assistance to governments on measures to promote economic management of forests, both public and private;
(3) analysis of national forest development programs; review of production and distribution policies; action on the international plane to avoid short-term unbalance between supplies and demand, promote production, and remove obstacles to trade, collection and publication of market information, forest products statistics, commodity reports; improvement of national and international statistical procedures;
(4) national and international action to bring about levels of consumption of forest products representing adequate housing and general living standards; investigating consumer habits, demand for forest products, consumption requirements for housing, paper, rayon, transportation, mining, etc.; assessing long-term requirements against available supplies; measures and policies to secure the gradual achievement of consumption goals.
The completion of the first year of the Expanded Technical Assistance Program has been marked by steady, if unspectacular, progress in many countries. Many unforeseen difficulties have arisen, and by no means all have been overcome. On the other hand, the devoted work of the specialists sent out by FAO to so many parts of the world is fully proving the worth of the whole program.
In so far as forestry is concerned, 16 specialists have now finished their assignments, another 33 are still in the field, while requests for co-operation have been received from various governments which may involve the recruitment by FAO of a further 60 forestry experts.
Meanwhile, 18 fellowships have been awarded under which foresters from Burma, Ceylon, India, Indonesia, Iran, Syria and Thailand are studying in India, Cyprus, various countries of Europe, and in the U.S.A.
Missions Completed
The past few months have seen the completion of several forestry missions which were among the early projects initiated. J. Messines (France) has presented his report on fixation of sand dunes in Libya. In Pakistan the missions of A. Rule (U.K.) on logging, F. Cermak (France) on sawmilling, and of G. M. Hocking (U.S.A.) on medicinal plants have been completed and final reports submitted to FAO Headquarters. The final report by J. A. von Monroy (Austria), who spent several months in Burma, has been transmitted to the government, it contains recommendations for the initiation of three integrated manufacturing units and has been used to prepare a working program for the next four years. C. E. Simmons (U. K.) has completed a one-year mission in Honduras and A. C. Décamps (France) a similar tour in Ceylon. M. von Bottenburg, forestry adviser in Colombia, G. Becker (Germany) entomologist and M. Rocher (France), conservation expert in Guatemala and P. Allouard (France) industries expert in Mexico have completed their assignments. A.N. Barker (U.K.) and C. Letourneux (France) have returned from a year's tour of duty in Thailand. F. F. Kollman (Germany) has completed his mission in India. The International Bank has published the reports of missions for Bolivia, Uruguay, and Surinam, in which FAO forestry technicians participated.
New Agreements
Mission or individual advisers are now working in the following countries: Austria, Brazil, Burma, Ceylon Chile, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Iran, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Thailand, and Yugoslavia.
Since the latest Technical Assistance notes appeared in Unasylva, a team of specialists has been assigned to Yugoslavia: C. W. Scott (U. K.) to advise on the organization and equipment of the Timber Institute at Zagreb; C. Syrach Larsen (Denmark) to make recommendations on the work of the Seed and Genetics Division of the Forest Research Institute at Belgrade; H. Leibundgut (Switzerland) for forest management; A. Dugelay (France) for soil conservation and rehabilitation of denuded areas; J. Pourtet (France) to advise on selection of fast-growing species for reforestation programs; F. Bender (Canada) specializing on wood utilization and use of " waste "; and J. S. Bethel (U.S.A.) to advise on the modernization of the plywood industry.
FAO has sent two experts to Paraguay - E. Saari (Finland) to advise on forest policy, legislation, and the organization of forest resources, and J. J. French (U.S.A.) to survey the possibilities for the development of timber production.
Seminar on Statistical Techniques
Hardwood logs are here being taken on board an adapted military landing craft for transport to the mainland. When new sawmills are working this may no longer be necessary.
In September last a statistical seminar was organized at Helsinki jointly by the Government of Finland, FAO, UN, the International Labour Office, and the Economic Commission for Europe. A series of lectures on forestry statistics were given as follows:
Forest and Felling Statistics - E. Saari.Forest Enterprise Statistics and their Relation to Agricultural Enterprise Statistics - N. A. Osara.
Timber Utilization Statistics V. Pöntynen.
Timber Price Statistics - Paavo Harve.
Forest Work Wage Statistics - L. Heikinheims.
Mediterranean Training Center
I. T. Haig (FAO) delivered two lectures on forest development and appraisal at a Mediterranean Training Center, organized by FAO and other UN agencies at Ankara, Turkey, in December 1961. He dealt with the systematic preparation of development projects, illustrating his thesis from his own experience with such a project in Chile.
Far East Training Center
The Government of the Philippines has agreed in principle to act as host country for a Far East Mechanical Logging Training Center; the details of the agreement are now under negotiation, and invitations to governments to participate are being issued.
H. G. Keith (Canada) who recently retired from the post of Conservator of Forests, North Borneo, will be co-director of the Training Center. After visiting firms in Canada that manufacture equipment, he moved later to Manila to begin active organization of the training course.
Brazil
R. Gachot (France) who with K. McGrath (Australia) has been making field trips in the Amazon region of Brazil, reports that sawmills are very numerous, but mostly receive their logs by water from the upper reaches of the Amazon. The mills have old equipment and lack skilled labor they produce well below capacity and none saws more than 2,000 cubic meters of lumber per year. Meanwhile, lumber is needed for construction in the mountain valleys inland but transportation costs to bring back supplies from the existing sawmills are excessive; new small sawmills are greatly needed here.
N. M. Gallant (U. K.) has recently joined this Technical Assistance team to investigate marketing problems.
Ethiopia
E. H. Swain (Australia), FAO officer in Ethiopia, writes: " The Minister for Agriculture and Forestry asked me to conduct His Imperial Majesty at the Grand Exhibition through the Forestry exhibit (a tree of plenty spilling on to surrounding shelves the produce of forests from charcoal to schnapps). I apologized for the imperfections of a Forestry Baby which had just been born to Ethiopia - H.I.M. neatly replied that he was sure that the baby would grow up to be perfect. "
Haiti
"One experience is perhaps worth relating," reports V. L. Burns, the FAO forestry officer in Haiti. " A peasant was found cutting the forest on a steep ravine. The official with whom I was traveling stopped to tell him it was illegal to cut trees on such a steep slope and, moreover, that mahogany and pine were protected species and never to be cut without permission. The man pointed out that there were none of these species on his land. We looked and were satisfied. To clarify the position in my own mind, I began to talk to the official about succession. In this area, mahogany was species and what the peasant was cutting was really a seral stage. We spoke in Creole from habit and the peasant listened. This was August. In October I returned and stopped to talk to the peasant again. He proudly showed me young seedlings of mahogany and tavernau (Lysiloma latisiliqua) that he had planted in the area. " Why did you do this"'", I asked. " Well ", he replied, "I did not understand what you said, but it seemed important, so I put these trees back. "I was struck by this so I induced him to start a small nursery and now he is a valuable convert to forestry."
Eucalyptus Study Tour
Many countries are showing an increasing interest in fast-growing species of tree, with a view to increasing supplies of both fuel and pulpwood. Species of eucalyptus already widely planted in many areas offer good possibilities for economic development in these directions. The particular species used to date have generally been chosen on an empirical rather than a scientific basis. Higher yields can be obtained from species or strains better adapted to local soil and climatic conditions.
The Sixth Session of the FAO Conference, realising that great benefits would arise from an opportunity to study eucalyptus in its many varied environments in Australia, approved a study tour in that country to be conducted under the Expanded Technical Assistance Program. The Government of Australia has consented to act as host country for this study tour, to start at Sydney on approximately 1 September 1952. Interested countries are being invited to nominate either senior officers of their forest services or technicians of commercial enterprises responsible for reforestation or research programs. The main purpose of the Tour is to demonstrate the Australian species in their native habitats, and enable members to get first hand knowledge of their possibilities. The Tour will include studies lectures and visits to research institutes and industrial plants, and should furnish an opportunity to become acquainted with the distribution of species, the ecological, climatic and soil factors involved, growth rates, natural and artificial regeneration, the silvicultural treatment of stands and current utilization practice, including sawing, seasoning and pulping methods.
Far Eastern Timber Grading Course
Development of the timber trade both for domestic and export purposes, provides a favorable means of improving the economic prosperity of Far East countries. Lack of precise identification of woods and diversification of timber grading practices have proved obstacles in the past. The regional technical meeting on Standardization of Timber held at Dalat in 1950, and later the inaugural session of the FAO Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission, suggested the holding of a timber grading course as a useful beginning in the removal of these obstacles. As a result, the Federation of Malaya, with the approval of the United Kingdom, acted as host country to the FAO-sponsored Far Eastern Timber Grading Course which finished at Singapore on 2:3 February 1952. The school opened at the Forest Research Institute at Kuala Lumpur on 8 January and moves to Singapore on 16 February. Nineteen representatives from seven countries participated. Subjects covered included defects in timber and their terminology, theory and practice of grading of logs and timber, documentation of timber for export and practical work in wood indentification and grading. Very great keenness was shown by participants, as was evidenced by the results of the examinations held at the close of the course. Advice received by the Forestry Division since the termination of the course indicated that some of the trainees are already applying their new knowledge to their regular work at home.
Logging Techniques and Training of Forest Workers
At its seventh session the Timber Committee of ECE recommended the study of various aspects of productivity of work in the forests, and the matter was refer red to FAO's European Commission on Forestry and Forest Products. At the fourth session of this Commission held in Rome, October 1951, a pilot committee on Logging Techniques and Training of Forest Workers was set up.
This pilot committee held a first meeting at Geneva, 20-29 March, 1952. Representatives of Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden and the United Kingdom took part. Observers were present from UN, ECE, ILO and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)
The delegates heard a lecture on the Training of Forest Wokers by Hans Winkelmann, Switzerland, and saw films and slides supplied by a number of countries dealing with the problems under discussion. Also, by invitation of the Office Central Forestier of Switzerland, the Committee visited a training camp for forest workers at Bulle in the canton of Fribourg.
Initial Program of Work
The pilot committee considered that its first task was to review past and current work and plans in member countries on the rationalization of forestry work. The initial program of work of the committee should be limited to:
1. Working techniques and methods The committee agreed that, by international comparison of productivity of work in the forest, possible specific improvements in techniques might be brought to light, provided that a basis for inter national comparability could be established. In this connection, it was agreed that model logging sites should be chosen where investigations could be made, and certain conditions for these sites were laid down.It was felt that an effort should also be made to measure the standard of efficiency of the forest worker and a small Working party was set up to investigate this.
The committee considered that performance scales existing in some countries should be compared internationally, and the Secretariat was asked to make the necessary enquiries from Member Governments so that an analysis could be made.
2. Mechanization of operations
The committee decided that studies should be undertaken on the experience gained on machines for forestry operations, especially on the use of power saws and of mechanized equipment for loading. The delegate of Sweden offered, subject to the agreement of the authorities concerned that the first study on the latter subject should he carried out by a Swedish institute; the study on the use of motors in loading is to be carried out by an institute in Finland.
The committee considered special forestry criteria and equipment for tractors and drew up a list which was to be sent to delegates for further amendments; a review of the 1951 Tractor Catalogue issued by FAO was deferred to the next meeting of the Committee, after these amendments were known.
Since it was of the greatest importance that a list of criteria for tests should be established, the committee instructed the secretariat to assemble information on the testing of forestry tractors and equipment.
3. Training of forest workers
The Committee discussed and agreed in principle a draft plan submitted by the International Labour Office for a study on the training of forest workers, and requested the ILO to undertake the study.
