Future Development Soil Conservation, & Soil Conservation Board in Palestine before 1948 (Nakba), British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 433. Chapter XI: Irrigation and Drainage

CHAPTER XI.

Future development.

20. The next developments envisaged are :- (a) The training of staff so that an effective instrument of forest policy can• be built up. (b) The improvement of communications and accommodation so that control of the forests may be made more effective. (c) The consolidation of the reserves by the straightening of boundaries, the elimination of enclaves and the settlement of disputes. (d) The large-scale closure of reserves, their management and improvement, and their eventual use for agricultural purposes or as permanent production forest.

The importance of these functions has long been recognised, and progress has been made as far as possible in the right direction, but during the ten years since the formation of the Department the conditions have not been propitious. From 1936 to 1939 civil disturbances affected chiefly those less-developed rural localities in which the uncultivated land !av. From 1939 to 1945 the war severely limited action, particularly by making it impossible to recruit qualified forestry staff. The financial stringency which now appears is further delaying development.

Soil conservation.

21. It will be seen that the main function of the Department, at least in the early stages, is the protection of vegetation in order to check flooding and soil erosion on uncultivated lands. Nevertheless, it is fairly obvious that in existing circumstances the prevention of soil erosion in cultivated lands, like all other sound agricultural practices, must be the concern of the Department of Agriculture. This division of functions has been definitely agreed upon between the two Departments; they work together in close consultation.

Soil Conservation Board.

22. In 1939 a Soil Conservation Board was constituted under the chairmanship of the Conservator of Forests. The membership of the Board is preponderantly official, but with some non-official representation; its terms of reference are :

(a) the consideration of all problems arising from soil erosion and the resultant floods, silting, and other damage; and

(b) the submission of recommendations for remedial and preventive measures, including legislation, publicity and education.

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