Book details
West African forests and forestry
Inspect the stored metadata, editorial profile, authors, categories, and local EPUB state.
Stored record
Metadata
- Gutenberg ID
- 78844
- Title
- West African forests and forestry
- Language
- en
- Book source
- Project Gutenberg
- Description max 80 words
-
Compiled by A. Harold Unwin, this 1920 guide serves timber getters and users in Nigeria and surrounding British territories. It offers practical identification of common West African trees, their local uses, and export potential without requiring botanical expertise, supported by the author's illustrations.
- Summary up to 500 words
-
Arthur Harold Unwin's *West African Forests and Forestry*, published in 1920, serves as a definitive practical manual for the colonial forestry industry in British West Africa. The work focuses on Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Togo, and the Gold Coast, aiming to assist timber getters and users in identifying valuable species without requiring advanced botanical knowledge. Unwin deliberately avoids exhaustive scientific classification, instead highlighting specific physical features that allow ordinary observers to recognize key timbers such as Mahogany, Iroko, Ebony, and Teak. The book systematically details indigenous species, providing their botanical and vernacular names alongside descriptions of growth habits, physical characteristics, and suitability for construction or export. It covers the history of forest departments, afforestation efforts, and the economic conditions of working timber, including fees and royalties. Unwin also addresses minor forest produce like oil beans and palm kernels, as well as the relationship between forestry and agriculture. Contributions from experts like Dr. J.M. Dalziel and lists from various regional authorities enrich the volume, which functions as both a field guide and an economic report. The text includes extensive descriptions of specific trees, such as the hard, termite-proof Ebony and the valuable Opepe, noting their native uses and market values. It also documents the visual characteristics of forests, from mixed evergreen stands to dry-zone vegetation, supported by illustrations of plantations and mature trees. Ultimately, the book provides a comprehensive overview of the resources, regulations, and ecological context of West African forestry at the turn of the 20th century.
- LLM editorial rating
- 4.2/5
- Download URL
- https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/78844.epub.noimages
- Local file path
-
data/epubs/pg78844.epub - Downloaded at
- 2026-07-08 09:16 UTC
People
Authors
- Arthur Harold Unwin
Classification
Categories
No categories stored.