asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what area of Dominica is being reserved as permanent forest; whether adequate staff is available for its management; and whether it is proposed to publish a forestry programme for the Colony.
Dominica's forestry policy is based upon a Report by the Conservator of Forests, Trinidad, contained in Bulletin No. 11 published by the Development and Welfare Organisation, West Indies, and of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. Adequate staff is being recruited to survey Crown Lands. Squatters on them will then be resettled and forest reserves will be defined. The area of the reserves cannot be determined until survey and resettlement are completed, but they will include the central forests and any necessary subsidiary catchment areas.