Commonwealth Forestry Review

c. E. LANE-POOLE 3
badly stricken by Inalaria and tropical ulcers. He also had a calnp destroyed by natives
and lost irreplaceable specimens and records as well as one of his native assistants.
The diary notes appended to the comprehensive report he prepared at the end of the
project provide a graphic account of his experiences and of the remote areas he
traversed.
In 1925, Lane-Poole was appointed Forest Adviser to the COlnnl0nwealth Governtnent
and in that same year agreement was reached between the States and the COlnmonwealth
on the establishment ofthe Australian Forestry School. Although the University
of Adelaide had maintained a School of Forestry since 1911, it had never been very
well supported by the State forest services. Under the new arrangement the Comnl0nwealth
agreed to establish, equip and staff a national Forestry School in Canberra,
and the States for their part, agreed to support the School by nominating a yearly
number of students more or less proportional to their respective needs. The various
forest services and State universities were all to be represented on a Board of Higher
Forestry Education which would supervise the academic standard of the forestry
course in Canberra.
In 1927, Lane-Poole becanle Inspector-General of Forests of the newly forlned
Commonwealth Forestry Bureau, and also acting Principal of the Australian Forestry
School when it opened that year in Canberra. He continued in the latter post until
1944 and retired as Inspector-General in February 1945.
During his eighteen years as Inspector-General of Forests he worked tirelessly to
promote the cause of forestry on a national level. Although the unequivocal stand
he took on some issues was not always conducive to political harmony, his great
ability and wide experience as a forester was fully recognised in forestry circles, and
his collaboration in forestry problems peculiar to the States was frequently sought
and readily given. As a strong protagonist of the need for a national forest policy for
Australia he must have been gratified when, in 1964, an instrument capable of promoting
such a policy at last came into being with the fornlation of the Australian Forestry
Council which cOtnprises Federal and State Ministers responsible for forestry.
In his role as Principal of the Australian Forestry School, Lane-Poole through his
ability as an administrator and lecturer, and by the example ofhis own life and achievetnents,
strongly influenced the students in his charge, and through them the future
progress of Australian forestry. More than a hundred students graduated from the
School during the period he was in charge, and many of his students still occupy
senior positions in the forest services.
Due to the difficult econonlic conditions of the late 1920s and early 1930s the
Forestry School had to operate on a very meagre budget. Facilities available to staff
and students were limited and it is greatly to Lane-Poole's credit that he was able to
maintain the high academic standards for which the school became well known. He
always took a keen interest in the sporting and social activities of his young charges
and spared no effort to make their sojourn at the school a Inenl0rable and satisfying
experience.
Lane-Poole was the author of more than fifty papers and articles covering both
scientific and more general aspects offorestry. He also represented the COlnmonwealth
Government at many international meetings and attended the Empire Forestry
Conferences in 1920, 1923 and 1928. At the first Empire Forestry Conference held
in London he proposed the resolution which led to the forlnation of the Empire
Forestry Association.
Following his retirement from official forestry in 1945, Lane-Poole was active for
many years as a forestry consultant in Sydney. Failing health and advancing years
finally brought an end to this last phase of his career and he died in Sydney on 22nd
November, 1970, at the age of 85.
Lane-Poole was one of the great pioneers of forestry in Australia whose guiding
principle throughout his professional career is expressed in the motto of the Australian
Forestry School-Mihi Cura Futuri-I serve posterity.