1 AUSTRALIAN FORESTERS in PAPUA NEW GUINEA 1922-1975
AFS 1960. Source. ANU AFS Archives. Alan Cameron & Ken Granger Brown River burn, October 1967. Photo Credit Ken Granger. Editor R B McCarthy 2022. 1 Dick McCarthy District Forester TPNG Forests 1963 1975. PNGAF MAGAZINE ISSUE # 9B-5B4C2 of 16th Aug 2022 FOREST MANAGEMENT. Eminent TPNG Forester Alan Cameron TPNG Forests 1956-1970.
In 1962 Alan began tree breeding and selection studies into teak and kamarere (refer “Genetic improvement of teak in New Guinea.” Australian Forester, 30: 76 87 (1966), and “Forest tree improvement in New Guinea. 1 Teak.” Paper prepared for 9th Commonwealth Forestry Conference, New Delhi 1968). Later, Alan conducted studies in the Bulolo plantations on hoop pine and klinki pine and supervised silvicultural research. Kevin White and Alan compiled the silviculture “bible” titled “Silvicultural techniques in Papua New Guinea forest plantations”, Bulletin No. 1, Division of Silviculture, Department of Forests, Port Moresby, 2nd Printing, Pp. 1 99 (1966).
Alan left the Territory in early 1970 and later returned (refer Alan Cameron’s story).
NAME Alan Lachlan Cameron 1937 Qualifications B.Sc. For. (Hons) University of Queensland (1960), (1962) Diploma of Forestry (with distinction) Australian Forestry School Various(1960) Technical College qualifications at Certificate level in horticultural practices, including irrigation, agricultural chemical use, plant culture, harvest, and post harvest quality control
Organisations Institute of Foresters of Australia (1960 2005) Avocado Growers Association (1987 2004) Low Chill Stone Fruit Growers Association (1986 2004) Macadamia Growers Association (1989 2004) Australian Commercial Bamboo Corporation Ltd (1999 2004) Banana Growers Federation Ltd (1986 2004) Work Fields I initiated the forest tree genetic improvement program in PNG in the early 1960’s and have been involved in selection of species/varieties/clones for cultivation in the forestry and horticultural Isectors.haveconducted nutrition research for forest plantations and horticultural crops over a long period of time.
Awards Sir William Schlich Memorial Gold Medal (1960) Hedges Prize (1965) Churchill Fellowship (1966) Joined PNG Forests 1956 Occupation Cadet Forest Officer, 1956 1960 Forester, various ranks, PNG 1961 1969 Work Localities Throughout PNG Departure PNG 1970 Life after PNG Project Director, Savoy Corporation Ltd (1970-1973), (1975) Director, Walnut Island Plantations Ltd (1970 1973) Managing Director, Foreign Management Consultants Pty Ltd (1973 1975) Indonesia Senior Research Officer, C.S.I.R.O., Division of Forest Research (1975 Resource1979)Manager, PNG Forest Products Pty Ltd (1979 1980) General Manager, PNG Forest Products Pty Ltd (1980 1986) Director, Golden Pines Pty Ltd (1981 1986) Director, PNG Forest Products Pty Ltd (1981 1986) Managing Director, Forest Management Services Pty Ltd (1984 1985) Member, PNG Shippers Council (1980 1986), Chairman (1983 1985) Member, PNG Forestry Council (1981 1985) Member (Management Committee), PNG National Business Association (1981 1985) Member, PNG Forest Industry Association (1980 1986) Chairman (1983 Managing1985)Director, Alarc Consultants Pty Ltd (1986 2005) Managing Director, Kei Beseu Kampani Pty Ltd (1989 1990) Manus Island Manager,PNGP.T.
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Achenusa Indrapuri, (1993 1997) Indonesia Director, Mountain Top Coffee Ltd (1999 2004) Director, Macadamia Processing Company Ltd (2001 2004) Director, Australian Commercial Bamboo Corporation Ltd (1999 2004) Chairman (2001 2004)
1979-1986 PNG 1986 Solomon Islands Ausaid 1987 North Qld World heritage area assessment. 1987 Bangladesh Project evaluation 1987/88 Iran Site degradation 1988 Bangladesh 1988 1989/90GhanaManus Is 1990 Guyana 1990 Sri Lanka 1991 Fiji, Sol Is. Vanuatu 1993 97 Indonesia 1994 PNG 1995 Ghana I was involved in Horticulture, growing vegetables, coffee, various fruit crops, bamboo, and Macadamia nuts from 1986 to 2004 and continue a small operational interest in some crops
I conducted forest management research in PNG and general forest administration in Australia and PNG.
In doing so I have worked in 25 countries, dealing frequently with rural people at and near the subsistence agricultural level.
I was involved in the early development of the woodchip industry in Australia and development and management of several forest harvesting and processing operations in Australia, PNG, and IIndonesia.havebeen a consultant to FAO, UNIDO, UNHCR, IFAD, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, AusAid, in the fields of forestry, forest industry, agro forestry, plus several private companies in forest industry, forest product marketing and horticultural project design and property assessment, plus some training of government and private company staff in developing countries.
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4 AUSTRALIAN TPNG FORESTRY CADETSHIP SCHEME2 1948 to 1963
John Godlee (NG) 1954 1957/58 1959
Surname
The cadetship scheme comprised two years at an Australian university undertaking an approved forestry science course, followed by a field year in TPNG to gain practical experience in all facets of forestry, followed by two years at the Australian Forestry School in Canberra. In later years, the field work requirements were changed to include all university vacations must be spent in PNG, thus reducing the training program by one year before graduation but still meeting the condition of 12 months field work. Positions CadetshipTPNG AFS graduationYear
Ian Grundy (NG) Eric Hammermaster (Q/NG) Des Harries (NG) Gerry Vickers (NG) 1955195519551955 1958/591958/591958/591958/59 1960196019601960
Alan Cameron (NG) John Smith (NG) Brian O’Hagen (NG) 1956 19561956 1959/60 1959/601959/60 1961 19611961 The appointments of Australian TPNG Forestry Cadets were summarized in LT Carron’s book in 2000 titled A brief history of the Australian Forestry School (AFS) Cadet Forest Officer pamphlet courtesy Des Harries 2019
Edward Charles Gordon Gray (NG) Alexander John Hart (NG) Donald Henry McIntosh (NG) Kevin Joseph White (Q) Qld194619461948 1950/511950/511950/511950/51 1952195219521952
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Jaroslav Joseph Havel (WA) 1953 1953/54 1955 Robin Bilbrough Morwood (NG) 1952 1955/56 1957
After the Second World War, a cadetship scheme was undertaken by the Australian Department of Territories to train Australian Forest Scientists to ensure sufficient professional staff for the purposes of creating a functional Forest Department for TPNG.
Frank Harry Coppock (NG) Elliot Carby Tuckwell (NG) 19531953 1956/571956/57 19581958
Abbreviations. TPNG
Dave Num (C) R G Lyons (NG) no field year
Jim Belford (C) Dick McCarthy (NG) no field year
196319621962 1965/661965/661965/66 196719671967
Gary Archer (NG) no field year
Leon Clifford (NSW) Evan Shield (NG) 19581958 1961/621961/62 19631963
year cadetsfor
1965196519631966 1966/671966/671966/671966/67 1968196819681968
Ken Hart (NG) no field year
Last
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1961196119601961 1964/651964/651964/651964/65 1966196619661966
Neil Brightwell (NSW) Alan White (NG) 19601960 1960/611960/61 19621962
Ian Whyte (C)
John Lake (NG) 1962/63 1964 Ian Currie (NG) 1963/64 1965
John Davidson (NG) no field year
1966196319661966 1967/681967/681967/681967/68 1969196919691969 Territory of Papua New Guinea, NG New Guinea, Q Queensland, WA Western Australia, NSW New South Wales, C Commonwealth, AFS Australian Forestry School, BFC Bulolo Forestry College.
Chris Borough (NG) field year Bob Bruce (NG) no field year
Rod Holesgrove (NG) no field year
Rex Grattidge (NG) no field year field
Paul Ryan (NG) no field year
Chris Done (NG) no field year
John Harrison (NG) Medi vac out
6 Source. ANU-AFS Archives Source. ANU AFS Archives 1960 AFS final year.
7 Paul Alfred ARMSTRONG (Q} Terence John BLAKE (N SW) Alan Lachlan CAMERON (Q) awarded Schlich Medal John Pearce CAMERON (ACT) Warren Sturgeon CHAPMAN (Q) Norman StClair CLOUGH (Q) Peter Thomas CRANNY (Q) David DOLEY (WA) awarded Schlich Medal Brian John FURRER (N SW) Richard Foster GRIMES (Q) U Khin Maung HTWE (Burma) Eric Arthur JENKINS (WA) Soeparman KARNASUDIRJA Christopher(Indonesia) John LACEY (NSW) Brian James THAGEN (NG) Stephen Leonard Rupert. OLLERENSHAW (NSW) Oo Maurice(Burrna)Daniel PASSMORE (Q) George Buel PEET (WA) Thomas RYAN (Q) John Edward Nayler SMITH (NG) Michael Kevin SMITH (NSW) Warwick James STOKES (NSW) U Aung THAN {Burma) Robert David UREN (Tas) Alan Jemes WATT (NSW) Source. ANU-AFS Archives
ALAN’S REMINISCENCES OF PNG TIME
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Hoop and Klinkii pine seed collection was interesting, as people from Buka Is., were incredible climbers At a height of about 200 feet one climber jumped from one tree to one nearby so he did not have to climb the next one. I think I nearly had a heart attack. It was interesting that they are classed as the darkest skinned people in the world.
Thelargestumps left afterloggingwereaserioussourceoftermitesthatattackedthenewforest plantations. We blew pine stumps out of the ground Spent several weeks assessing forest south of the Markham River near Lae. I Found a WW2 military aircraft wreck that was unknown to the Department of Native Affairs or the Military As we returned to Lae a worker fell off a vehicle. We took him to a missionary hospital, but he was dead on arrival We sought to bury him in their cemetery but as he was dead on arrival that was not allowed We got the police to suggest a location It was on the location where Japanese prisoners had been hanged late in the war. The head of Police in Lae had been the hangman and one day he hung 12 prisoners before he had breakfast.
Transferred to Kerevat with similar work functions, plus assessing natural forest composition (species, volume of harvestable trees etc.), included road location survey and road design. Two of the recruited workers had been in jail for killing and eating a Kiap, but they did not seem dangerous SpenttimelocatingpointsonaGerman Surveyoftheareaestablishedinthe1880’s. Kerevat was an interesting place as there were frequent “gurias.” On one occasion I saw “guria waves” approaching me as I drove a land cruiser along the road north of Kerevat. I just drove on carefully, riding the waves. We were instructed that if a guria hit the house it was essential to hold the refrigerator to make sure the kerosene system was not turned over as it would probably result in the house burning down. On a forest inspection job south of Kerevat I encountered the tallest PNG people. Apparently, the tribe was dying out, but I saw a few. The women were about 6 feet tall and the men well above that height. A bit intimidating as they also had very long weapons.
Interviewed by Jim McAdam in January 1956 and awarded a Cadetship Two years at Queensland University then went to PNG at the end of December 1957 to spend 13 months in the Spentfieldtime at Bulolo and Wau for several months. Required to learn Pidginquickly. Found that many of the field workers could not speak Pidgin. I was involved in supervising forest establishment and management operations including the nursery, plantation establishment, logging operations and road location surveys At times I had to teach the workers how to do the job they were on. McAdam had offered anyone who found a Hoop pine greater than 307 feet high a box of expensive whiskey. A couple of us carefully measured a felled Hoop and got to 298 feet, but the top was missing as it was broken off and caught in the crown of the forest The diameter at the break point was about 8 inches and we were sure the full height would have exceeded 307 feet. However, without real proof we decided not to make a claim.
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Went to Canberra (Australian Forestry School) to do the last 2 years of the 5-year course
Returned to PNG in January 1961. Based at the Brown River Forest station. Controlled forest plantation operations and logging. One interesting experience was a visit by men who claimed to be missionaries. A full sun eclipse was predicted, and they called and told the workforce that it was the end of the world. If they donated any money, they had to the missionaries they would go the heaven, failure to do so they would go to hell. The “Bossboi” told me about it, and I organized a reception. The “bois” held spears and I had a rifle, and I told the fake “Missionaries” to get out or I would have them attacked. It worked. Later I met a plantation owner near Rabaul who had similar experience. He ordered the conmen off his property. They went outside the fence and continued to ask for money, and they refused to leave He flattened one of them. They reported that to the police and he was tried for assault by a magistrate (ex Kiap) who had no option but to find him guilty. He was sentenced to jail until the “rising of the court.” The magistrate banged the gavel about a second later and the court rose. Shortest sentence I have ever heard about.
Moved to Port Moresby early 1962. Late 1961 I had first ride in a “flying boat” to gain appreciation of a forest area I was to assess in 1962. Went along the south coast and up the Fly River, over the area later turned into a major mining operation Landed in a couple of places in the river. Went to West Papua for forest assessment. The team consisted of Forestry, Agricultural and Native Affairs officers. We were to assess forest, agricultural potential and the land use and value. We had been told not to go to the Great Papuan Plateau as we could be killed and eaten. No “expat” had been in that area since 1937 The Kiap was killed and eaten before he got to the Plateau. That happened about 200 miles NW of where we were going.
The program was scheduled to last nearly 6 months. We had been given very old wirelesses to enable communication with our head offices but could not contact anyone. Oddly one of the crew found we could listen to a news session at night. It was spoken in English but was sent from China. At least we did have some idea of what was happening in the world even if the opinions were biased. Initially we camped near an old oil/gas exploration site on a river east of the Fly. The forest looked very promising After a while part of the crew went up the river and left the Ag officer and me to finish our job where we were. One of the labour crew had a medical problem and we considered that he needed a penicillin injection. The medical equipment had been split up and we only had very small diameter needles. It took about an hour to apply the injection and I think my hand was tight for a long time. The injection worked after a couple of days. We then went up the river. We spent some months in that area, including canoe trips about 100 miles up the river. In the area up to the base of the steep land in the north I assessed forest areas and we drilled soil to assess its condition. Late in the period the Agricultural officer and I moved up towards the Great Papuan Plateau. We did not know where the “boundary” was, so we may have gone too far. I suspect we did. One morning we were closing our camp when I thought some people were in the forest looking at us. We sat down for nearly an hour before 3 men emerged. They had bows and arrows and
I had a minor role in organizing better training for local employees. I proposed to an Officer of the Administrator’s Department (who I knew well) that the rules for technical training of local staff should be revised and better rules prepared. A meeting, involving about 10 government Departments was set up. The Administrator declared that we did not have the authority to write new rules My response was, “I have not seen the rules written in the Old Testament so do not believe they were the words of God. People had written the rules, so there was no reason that we could not rewrite them.” He called me a heretic and closed the meeting However, about a week later I got a call from the Officer who congratulated me for my approach, as it had been decided that we could now rewrite the rules. Returning from a forest assessment survey in central New Britain I noticed that a village had many outboard driven boats and much other stuff, but the people told me that they did not have money to buy fuel. I proposed to the government that when forest areas were acquired by the Government the people should not be paid in full up front. It would be much better for the peopleand thegovernment thatpayments bemadeas trees wereharvested andtheratebebased on royalties paid.
the selection and breeding program, I did a number of forest assessments over the next few years, in many locations including New Britain, New Ireland and a small adjacent island, Bougainville Island, Kainantu, Kaiapit and an area southeast of Port Moresby, the central Highlands, two areas near Vanimo and the Sepik River For some time, I was camped just next to the border with West NG when a stream of people crossed the border to escape the Indonesians who had taken over from the Dutch and were prosecuting the locals I directed them to a location where a Kiap’s office was. He got them to assist in building a small Inairstrip.1964
Several teak plantations were inspected, including the original Teak area near Madang, where the Germans had introduced the species to PNG in the 1880’s. The purpose was to assess the moredesirabletrees thatcould beusedto establish“SeedOrchards.”This program commenced in 1963 at the Brown River and Kerevat with a couple of Forest Officers and a few local staff Whileinvolved.Icontinued
10 spears They slowly came towards us and obviously wondered what we were Slowly one came up to me. He carefully touched my nose then my cheek, my hair, and my shirt. From the expression on his face, he obviously wondered what we were I later learned that they probably believed we were returned bodies of locals who had died in the past. I was not worried that they might attack us as I had a loaded and cocked rifle on a table where I had been sitting. I did not plan to kill them, just fire a few shots to confuse them. We finished giving them a few bush knives and showed them how to use them and sharpen them. Of course, they had never seen metal objects before. We were sure they had never seen white people before and were convinced they had never heard of white people.
In 1962 I had commenced to investigate the characteristics of both Teak and Kamarere as I had discussed this matter with Kevin White, who was the head of the Silviculture Division. The selection and breeding program for both species was commenced. This was extended to Hoop and Klinkii pine a bit later with Bulolo as the area of focus. While at Queensland University I had some contact with the Queensland selection and breeding program with Hoop Pine, so I contacted the Queensland Officer involved for advice regarding tree assessment and selection.
I was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to investigate the Teak improvement programs in Malaya, Thailand, Burma, India, and Ceylon in 1966. Because of the military takeover of Burma in 1962 I was unable to visit any of their Teak forests. The most progressive operations were in India. I fortunately found some remarkable trees in the southwest and collected some cuttings and sent them to PNG for grafting. They were the best shaped Teak I have ever seen.
When Kevin White took his “long service leave” for a few months I stood in as Acting Head of the Silviculture Division In 1969 I was sent to serve in a UNFAO program assessing tree species, particularly Eucalyptus species not present, in Australia. I visited Malaya, Philippines, and Indonesia. Plantations of Kamarere were being established in the Philippines by a company for export to Japan for pulping. In the Philippines I went to the major southern island. A war appeared imminent between the Philippines and Malaysia over ownership of islands between the Philippines and Borneo.
In Indonesia (Sulawesi Is) I visited several locations but there was little progress there. As we started our return to the capital of the Island the Indonesian Forest Officer insisted that he replace the official driver of the very old canvas topped Jeep we used He did not drive well and got too close to the edge. We came over the edge and rolled about 200 yards down a steep slope. There were three of us in the front seat, but I was in the middle and had no backrest. I dived into the back of the jeep and hung onto the frame, and that saved my life. The other two, one an Australian, were killed. The vehicle was upside down and I was trapped. Fortunately, the official driver had been standing on the back bumper bar and jumped off. He went back to a village some miles down the road and brought a team of men up to see what could be done. I spent about 3 hours trapped under the vehicle, had a smashed wrist, and injured shoulder. I had a lot of vehicle weight on my body The team got me out and I was taken back up to the road. Fortunately, a vehicle came up and took me to a medical facility where I was treated for pain. The driver of the vehicle worked for an Australian mining company and by radio he advised his company what was happening, and they approved that he take me to the Capital where I could enter a hospital. I arrived at about 5 AM. The Company must have contacted the ABC because the governor visited me in the morning and told me that he had heard about the accident listening to the ABC that morning. Being flown back to Jakarta I was on a military plane that carried about 6 coffins of troops killed in west NG because the pilot did not slow the plane down when troops jumped out with parachutes, and they were hit by the wings or tail I left the Forest Department in early 1970 for family reasons.
The Australian embassy requested that I collect information regarding the existence of any military activity in the area and talk to people to observe their concerns about the potential conflict. I became a spy. However, by the time I returned to Manila the threat had declined, so the information in the report I had prepared and submitted was no longer important.
In February1964 Ireceivedtrainingin computer useandprogram writing. Iwrotetheprogram for treatment of tree measurement data and started processing plantation growth data with the computer that year and extended to written reports soon after.
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In the mid 1960’s I was made the Officer in Charge of Silvicultural research in all fields and spent time monitoring application of plantation management practices in all locations.
The major focus of my work improved the efficiency of operation of logging equipment and environmental protection of areas where logging was carried out but included road design for better travel times for loaded trucks. I wrote an article for guidance on use of chain saws and wrote about logging practice that would lead to better environmental protection of the forests.
I left CSIRO at the end of 1979 to return to PNG to work for PNG Forest Products Pty Ltd as the Officer in Charge of Forest Harvesting and some aspects of processing timber. In 1981 I became the General Manager and a Director of the company and was selected to be a member of several national organizations that assisted the industry (relationship with government and organization of shipping for the export market and landowners whose forests were being harvested. I also attended a meeting in W.A. with the Australian Federal Government where I proposed that tariffs on timber products imported from PNG be removed
I initiated log export by the company for those species for which we had little market. The company had the largest wooden chopsticks factory in the world. It was also involved in gold mining, cattle, pig, and chicken raising, retailing and electricity production, which made it a very interesting experience for me.
I left PNG Forest Products because the English company who controlled it, directed me to use “third country invoicing.” I refused and submitted my resignation when they became aggressive about the matter. I had encountered Third country invoicing in the early 1970’s in Indonesia An invoice (U.S.$46.00) was issued to a fake company in another country (Hong Kong) and that company invoiced the real buyer at a much higher price (U.S.$106.00). This hid the profits of the company from the country where the produce was harvested, and Hong Kong charged no tax on such activities.
Thecompany in Melbournewas takenoverby AlanBondandthe focus was seriously changed. I left in 1975 and joined CSIRO with a function in the forestry sector, particularly harvesting.
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I worked for a company based in Melbourne, of which Kel McGrath was the Chairman of the Board of Directors. I supervised several forest operations in Victoria and Queensland and went to Indonesia to assess the potential for investment in timber harvesting and processing. I was involved in establishing a wood chipping operation near Launceston in Tasmania including selection of the processing equipment and purchase of land for use as plantations. The proposal was that a pulping process be set up in the longer term.
In 1986 I bought a small farm near Lismore NSW but spent a lot of time carrying out forestry consultant jobs for several international aid agencies (UN, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, AusAid) and a few private companies. The jobs were in about 15 countries, bringing my life experience to 27 countries including 6 continents and many islands.
2. Post harvest condition of representative forest areas in Papua New Guinea and the implications for future harvest.
4 A Cameron and T Vigus4 (1994). Papua New Guinea Volume and Growth Study: Regeneration and Growth of the Tropical Moist Rainforest in Papua New Guinea and the Implications for Future Harvest. Brisbane CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology (for the World Bank).
This pioneering work was to access as much information on PNG forest regeneration and to provide PNGFA with a considered opinion regarding the probability of achieving sustainable yields from the natural forest and what the level of yield may be. This report describes: 1. Shade tolerance and its significance for management of the major commercial forest species in Papua New Guinea.
c. Future impact of restrictions on harvesting only for downstream processing should limit over cutting of less desirable species for log export.
13 A Cameron and T Vigus4 (1994). Papua New Guinea Volume and Growth Study: Regeneration and Growth of the Tropical Moist Rainforest in Papua New Guinea and the Implications for Future Harvest.
a. Stocker shade tolerance classification by species. The classification covers nearly 150 species. It was an attempt by Stocker to adapt the classification developed for the Queensland moist tropical rainforest to PNG species, growing under different conditions.
4. Forest regeneration and stand development after timber stand improvement treatment in selected forests of Papua New Guinea.
b. Impact of light and moisture on species regeneration and survival
3. Estimated future yield for selected forest types in Papua New Guinea.
5. Some phenological characteristics of the major commercial forest species in Papua New Guinea.
The work of Vigus and Cameron found that the rainforests of PNG can be regenerated after well controlled selective logging (i.e., felling all commercial trees above 50 cm dbh). To maximise benefits, it is essential that residual stems (selected on basis of species, log length, form, crown position and crown quality) are marked prior to harvesting. Timber stand improvement can be achieved cost effectively by enriching the species mix regenerating, using nursery grown stock or transplanting wildings and then carrying out some tending operations to remove vines etc.
In the absence of a gold standard, central bankers and politicians are free to confiscate your money through inflation, at will. Larry Edelson, 2007.
There are two things that are infinite the universe and human stupidity. Though I am not sure of the first one. Albert Einstein.
14 COLLATION OF QUOTATIONS BY ALAN CAMERON 5THE PRECIPICE
The time has come the walrus said to speak of many things. Lewis Carroll. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. (Mohandas “Mahatma” Ghandi).
The first panacea for a mismanaged nation is inflation of the currency; the second is war. Both bring a temporary prosperity; both bring a permanent ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists. Ernest Hemingway Sept 1932 Destroyers seize gold and leave to its owner a counterfeit pile of paper. This kills all objective standards and delivers men into the arbitrary power of an arbitrary setter of values. Gold was an objective value, an equivalent of wealth produced. Paper is a mortgage on wealth that does not exist, backed by a gun aimed at those who are expected to produce it. Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged.
People and nations behave wisely – once they have exhausted all other alternatives. Winston Churchill. The veneer of civilization lies very thin. Winston Churchill Anybody who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist. Kenneth Boulding
By a continuous process of inflation, governments can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens. By this method, they not only confiscate, but they do so arbitrarily; and while the process impoverishes many, it actually enriches some. The process engages all of the hidden forces of economic law on the side of destruction and does it in a manner that not one man in a million can diagnose. John Maynard Keynes, 1920.
The purpose of studying economics is not to get a set of ready made answers to economic questions, but to learn how to avoid being deceived by economists Joan Robinson We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. “We have met the enemy and he is us. Walt Kelly (1970). The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. Albert Einstein. Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Samuel Johnson 1775. 5 Alan Cameron personal communication 5th May 2020
The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference and under nourishment. Robert M Hitchins.
It’s only when the tide goes out that you learn whose been swimming naked. Warren Buffet.
When the missionaries came to Africa, they had the bible, and we had the land. They said, ‘let us pray’. We closed our eyes. When we opened them, we had the bible, and they had the land Bishop Desmond Tutu
The pressure to take control of resources because of rising greed from producers to bean counters and litigants. Power moved from the people who produced wealth to those who shuffled the papers. Alan Cameron. The Iraq war excuses. Alan Cameron. Social coherence collapsed. Alan Cameron. While we have gone backwards, it is not correct to say we have gone back to the start. We have a far greater way to go. Alan Cameron.
You can fool some of the people all the time, You can fool all of the people some of the time But you can’t fool all of the people all of the time. Abraham Lincoln 1864.
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The Wedau people of Papua New Guinea were recognised far and wide as the greatest of yam growers. It was a matter of great pride for the tribe. They engaged in a ceremonial display when planting the yams, but the missionaries told them they had to stop the ceremony because it was a pagan practise and against God’s laws. They ceded to the missionaries’ instructions, their yam crops declined, the tribe virtually disbanded, and if asked what tribe they were from they denied they were Wedau. They had been destroyed as a people. Alan Cameron
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. George Orwell.
16 ACRONYMSACT Australian Capital Territory ACIAR Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research ACLMP AusAid funded World Bank Land Mobilisation program. AEC Administrators Executive Committee AFS Australian Forestry School AFPNG Association of Foresters of PNG AIF Australian Infantry Forces AMF Australian Military Forces ANBG Australian National Botanical Gardens ANGAU Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit ANU Australian National University APMF Australian Paper Manufacturers Forestry Pty Ltd APPM Australia Paper and Pulp Manufacturers ASIO Australian Security Intelligence Organisation ASOPA Australian School of Pacific Administration AusAID Australian Aid Agency BA basal area BCOF British Commonwealth Occupational Force 1945 52 “Beer Time” Any time. BFC Bulolo Forestry College BGD Bulolo Gold Dredging Company BUC Bulolo University College C Commonwealth cm Centimetre CALM Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management CFA Commonwealth Forestry Association CNGT Commonwealth New Guinea Timbers Bulolo CRE Commander Royal Engineers CRE CRE is a term inherited by RAE from RE and is the term for the Commanding Officer of a RAE unit which is headed by a Lt Col. Although the officer is called the CRE the name is also used for the name of his unit. E.g., CRE Aust Forestry Group or 1(NG Forests). CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation CHAH Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria DASF Dept of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries DBH/ dbh Diameter at breast height DEPT Department DPI Department of Primary Industry DOF Department of Forests e.g. For example Etc et cetera (more of the same) FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation F &TB Forest and Timber Bureau Canberra FIM Forest Information System FPRC Forest Products Research Centre Hohola
17 FRG Forest Red Gum FRI Forest Research Institute Lae Forkol Bulolo Forestry College GAB Girth above buttress Gbhob Girth breast height over bark Gubab Girth under bark above buttress GIS Geographic Information Systems ha Hectare IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development IFA Institute of Foresters of Australia IFY International Year of the Forest ITTO International Tropical Timber Organization JICA Japanese International Cooperation Agency L of N League of Nations LRRS Land Resource Soils Survey (branch of CSIRO) m3 cubic metre MM Military Medal NAA National Archives Australia NARI National Agriculture Research Institute NB New Britain NFCAP PNG National Forestry and Conservation Action Plan no. Number NG New Guinea NGF New Guinea Forces (relates to plant collection of Lae Herbarium) NGIB New Guinea Infantry Battalion NGO Non Government Organisation NGVR New Guinea Volunteer Rifles NZ New Zealand NSW New South Wales NTSC National Tree Seed Centre PNG Bulolo OISCA Organisation for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement International Japan. P or p page PIB Papuan Infantry Battalion PIR Pacific Islands Regiment PNG Papua New Guinea PNGAA Papua New Guinea Australia Association PNGAF Papua New Guinea Australian Foresters Magazine Series PNGFA Papua New Guinea Forest Authority PNGFIA PNG Forest Industries Association PNGRIS Papua New Guinea Resource Information System PNGUT PNG University of Technology POM Port Moresby Q Queensland QF Queensland Forestry RAE Royal Australian Engineers/Australian Army RPC Royal Papuan Constabulary RRA Rapid Resource Appraisal SFM Sustainable Forest Management
18 SP South Pacific UK United Kingdom UN United Nations Unasylva Journal of FAO of UN UNE University of New England Armidale NSW UNEP United Nations Environment Program UNI University UNITECH University of Technology Lae PNG UNRE University of Natural Resources and Environment UPNG University of Papua New Guinea UQ University of Queensland US United States USA United States of America TPNG Territory of Papua and New Guinea TUBL Territory United Brewery Ltd TA Timber Area TA Timber Authority TRP Timber Rights Purchase Vol volume VSF Victorian School of Forestry WA Western Australia WB World Bank