AFFORESTATION.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18417, 25 June 1925, Page 12

AFFORESTATION.

AN INFORMATIVE REPORT,

An interesting report on afforestation in Canterbury was submitted at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Progress League yesterday by Mr AY. T. Morrison. Conservator of Forests in Canterbury. Tho report, which was read by Mr P. P. Climie. organiser of the League owing to Mr Morrison suffering from a sore throat, stated that the State Forest Service had its origin as a small branch of the Lands and Survey Department actual afforestation operations being commenced in 15.06 under the supervision of tho late Mr Henry J. Matthews, who was appointed Chief Forester for the Dominion. Tree Raising Stations.

Tree-raising stations were established in several localities throughout Xew Zealand. Some of these were finally discarded as being unsuitable, and the main supplying stations were now located at Tapanui, Hanmer Springs and Xaseby in the South Island, and at Eotorua in the Xorth Island. Each of these was the tree-supplying base for the large adjoining afforestation operations.

The total number of trees raised to date in the nurseries amounted approximately to 156,000,000, while the total area of artificial plantations established to date amounted to 62,786 acres, of which 10,952 acres were planted last season.

The placing of tho Service under one authority—Mr L. Mcintosh Ellis, Director of Forestry for Xew Zealand —had immediate effect in increasing the activities of the Service, which now had full control of practically all the forests of the Dominion—indigenous as well as exotic. Most of the remaining indigenous forest had been secured to the nation for all time, economies had been effected in conversion .wastage and the forests had been placed, as far as was possible with indigenous forests, on a sustained yield basis, while, in the creation of artificial forests, activities had increased tenfold in the last five years. Through tho propaganda and general activities of the Service, a forest consciousness had been aroused in the minds of the public of the Dominion. This was evidenced oii all sides at the present time by the general interest which was being shown in treeplanting.

Forestry Come to Stay. There could be no doubt that forestry had conic to stay. The larger timberproducing and consuming countries of the world were all becoming increasingly concerned regarding future timber supplies. The Dominion at present was dependent on Australia for supplies of hardwood for power transmission poles and telephone and telegraph poles, on America for a very large quantity of Oregon and other coniferous timbers and for large quantities of paper produced from wood pulp. The value of forest products imported into New Zealand would soon bo in the vicinitv of £2,000,000 annually. The major portion of these products, if not all of them,, could be produced within tho Dominion. Coming nearer home, the province of Canterbury, comparatively speaking, an almost deforested country, was absolutely dependent for general timber supplies upon outside sources, mainly AVestland and, to a certain extent, Southland. The question now was, how long were these outside supplies going to last? To the casual visitor to the West Coast the supply appeared inexhaustible, but it must be remembered that Canterbury was not the only consuming medium and there were other demands on the West Coast supply. Also the demand for timber was increasing in ratio to the increase in the population of the Dominion. After careful estimation, it was confidently anticipated that a very serious shortage would be felt within thirty years from now. As it took anything from 40 to 70 years to produce the better class building and general construction timber, it was obvious that now was the timo to commence a vigorous tree-planting policy. Pinus Insignis.

It was true that at present there was a slight slump in pinus insignis timber, but the keen demand for this timber, which was a feature of the war period, when the production of indigenous timber fell very low, was an indication of what would happen in about thirty years' time when the national shortage would probably be very acutely felt. It was not intended, in any case, to confine operations to the growing of pinus insignis, which, at best, could only be classed as a second grade timber. The Dominion could not, however, afford to uso more valuable timber for the purposes to which pinus insignis could be successfully put. It would always bo in demand for packing cases of all descriptions, and therefore would always command an important p!ac© in future requirements. Canterbury's timber requirements were very large as compared with other provinces and they were likely, in future, to increase as the country became more densely populated and the cities grew in size. It was estimated that the Dominion's future annual timber requirements would be approximately 1000 million feet. Canterbury's share of this would probably be onefifth. Operations in Canterbury.

The Service operations in Canterbury covered a planted area to date of 6720 acres—4232 at Hanmer Springs and 2488 acres at Balmoral. This, it was admitted, was totally inadequate for Canterbury's requirements. There should bo a large enough area of artificial forests in this province to allow of a total cut of at least 3000 acres annually thirty years from now. There Was ample evidence that both climatic and soil conditions were ideal for the growth of many valuable coniferous timber-producing trees as well as many species of hardwoods, etc. There was a splendid example in the fine plantations controlled by the Selwyn Plantation Board, the Christehurch City Council plantations, the Ashburton County plantations and the many privately-owned plantations throughout the plains and in the hill country. There was anlple land suited to treegrowing, which was now providing only a precarious living to settlers or which was practically unproductive. It was quite safe to say that this land, if utilised for afforestation, would ultimately yield a very high revenue per acre. It should be put to work to earn its share for Canterbury, if not by municipal or private enterprise, then by the State. Tho far-sighted policy of the provincial pioneers in establishing those plantations at present under the control of tho Selwyn Plantation Board was an object lesson to the present generation. They were yielding a very substantial annual revenue to that Board and would continue to do so for all time.

The earliest established of the State plantations at Hanmer Springs -were onlv £4 years old and could not be expected "to yield millable timber for at least another 10 years and even then only a comparatively small conversion operation would be possible. It -would be governed by species also to a certain extent, as those planted require rotations varying from 40-70 years, so that it would be some considerable time before the present vState plantations would be producing a fraction of Canterbury's needs. The indigenuous forests oi the province although of fairly extensive area, i^

the aggregate could not be depended oiiito produce commercial timber in any quantity as they -were mainly protection forest?, situated in. inaccessible country. Therefore it was plain that afforestation by exotic tree-planting ivas the only means whereby an adequate local supply of timber could be assured. On this supply, many of the large industrial enterprises of Christ - church, as well as the community generally were dependent, and, if progress was to be maintained, the urgent necessity for a vigorous local afforestation policy could not be overlooked. Mr Hutchinson, assistant, lecturer to the School of Forestry. Canterbury College, expressed the opinion that afforestation, if managed properly, would return a revenue to the State and would give employment to a large number of people. There was no need to fear over-production of timber. The cost of timber to-day made building expenses high, but it was not the cost of timber itself that was the trouble, but the cost of transportation to where it was wanted, and by growing it at the backdoors this would be obviated. He considered that there was no reason why Canterbury should not. in time. if the question was properly dealt with, become' the centre of the woodproducing industry in the Dominion. The timber necessary for the manufacture of paper could bo grown in Canterbury as well as other commercial timbers, and although he did not think that there was much chance of getting a large and speedy return for one's investment in this connexion lie could assure those present that afforestation would greatly benefit the Dominion as a whole. Mr C. E. Foworaker, chief lecturer at the School of Forestry at Canterbury College, detailed what was being done in the matter of forestry instruction at the School; and said that the School was fortunate in having so many areas of timber suitable for research work right at its door, and he desired to thank the owners of those reserves for placing them at the disposal of students. Dr. Chas. Chilton, Rector of Canterbury College, said that he considered that there was no country in the world more suitable for the training of forestry 7 *experts than New Zealand, and ; he thought that eventually the Dominion would become, as well and favourably known for its School of Forestry as for its School of Engineering. The following resolution was then carried unanimously: "This meeting of the Canterbury Progress League, representing the local bodies of Canterbury, expresses its appreciation of the operations of the Government Forestry Department, and in view of the present timber position and future prospects, it strongly urges the Department to extend its tree-planting operations in tho province, particularly on waste lands."