World’s Forests

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 783, 2 October 1929, Page 14

World’s Forests

SIBERIA’S VAST RESOURCES The Amazon and Hudson Bay WHERE is the greatest forest in the world? This question was asked at a recent dinner for the advancement of science in America. The importance of forests for equalising the climate and the rainfall of the globe was under discussion, and the purpose of the question was to show where the great forest tracts of the world are situated.

One member, replying off-hand, was inclined to maintain that the greatest continuous tract of forest lies north of the St. Lawrence River, In the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, extending north to Hudson Bay and Labrador: a. region measuring about 1,700 miles in length from east to west, and 1,000 miles in width, north and south.

A professor from a leading university rejoined that a much larger continuous area of timber lands was to be found, reckoning from those in the State of Washington northward through British Columbia and Alaska.

SOUTH AMERICA AND AFRICA But he limited his statement to North America, for he added that, in his opinion, the largest forest in the world occupied the valley of the Amazon, embracing much of northern Brazil, eastern Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Columbia and Guinea, a region at least 2,200 miles in length by 1,300 in breadth.

Exception was immediately taken to this statement by several members who, in the light of recent explorations, have computed the forest area of Central Africa in the valley of the Congo, including the headwaters of the Nile to the north-east and those of the Zambesi to the south. According to their estimates, Central Africa contains a forest region not less than 3,000 miles in length from north to south, and of vast, although not fully known width, from east to west. SIBERIA’S GLOOMY TAIGAS

Later in the evening, the entire question was placed in another light by a member who was so fortunate as to be able to speak from some knowledge of still another great forest region of the globe. This man gave a vivid picture of the vast, solemn Taigas and Urmans, the pine, larch and cedar forest of Siberia.

It appears, that Siberia, from the plain of the Ob River on the west to the valley of the Indighirka on the

east, embracing the great plains oi river valleys of the Yemisei, Oienck Lena and Yama Rivers, is one of the great timber belts, averaging more than 1,000 miles in breadth from north to south—being fully 1,700 miles wide in the Yenisei, district —and having a length from east, to west of not less than 4,600 versts, about 3,000 miles.

.Unlike equatorial forests, the trees of the Siberian Taigas are mainly conifers, comprising pines of many varieties, firs, and larches. In the Yenisei, Lena and Oienck regions there are thousands of square miles where no human being has trod. The longstemmed conifers rise to a height of 150 ft and more, and stand so closely together that walking among them is difficult.

The dense, lofty tops exclude the pale Arctic sunshine, aud the straight, pale trunks, all looking exactly alike, so bewilder the eye in the obscurity, that all sense of direction is soon lost. Even the most experienced trappers of sable dare not venture into the dense taigas without taking the precaution of “blazing” the trees constantly, with hatchets, as they walk forward. If lost there, the hunter rarely finds his way out. but perishes miserably from cold or starvation. The natives avoid the taigas, and have a name for them which signifies “places where the mind is lost.” The discussion was closed very appropriately with an illustrated lecture, which showed how, in the earlier ages, forests had covered all the Continental areas, and had rendered the climate equable to a degree now unknown. At first human beings battled with the forests in a fitful manner, making small clearings for themselves; but gradually, by the aid of fire and of their own Increasing numbers, they have so far prevailed in the struggle for supremacy that the forests are hopelessly conquered. But great evils follow their extermination; and now the question is, how to foster, protect and preserve them.