AFFORESTATION IN N.Z.

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21410, 28 February 1935, Page 9

AFFORESTATION IN N.Z.

♦ LAND UNDER TREES WORK OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE SUPPLEiMENTING SUPPLY OP NATIVE TIMBER (III.) In the considered opinion of foresters of international standing an insular country like New Zealand, to attain the minimum safety-point, should have not less than 25 per cent, of its area afforested, yet the area under forest in New Zealand is estimated at well below this figure. The importance of afforestation in New Zealand, and particularly in Canterbury, where successful farming depends largely on the shelter provided by forest belts, has already been emphasised by forestry experts; the State Forest Service has now supplied statistics of the areas under forest in Canterbury and the whole of New Zealand, which provide a great deal of food for the thought of those who have interested themselves in the importance of forestry. When there is talk of the further cultivation of exotic trees it is natural to ask how 10-.„ the supplies of native timber are expected to last and whether more attention cannot be paid to native forests and the development of them. The answer of the State Forest Service is that of the remaining virgin forests more than 80 per cent, are overmature stands, in which new growth is offset by decay, etc.. and that the conversion of this 80 per cent, of overmature forest into healthy growing stands of indigenous trees producing timber to a maximum capacity of the forest soil will require silvicultural management extending over a long period, probably 150 years. Depletion of Native Timbers It is argued by the State service that the current timber demands iire depleting the native forests at such a rate that, without other provision being made, an adequate supply of timber would not be available during the whole period of 150 years. The establishment of supplementary exotic forests is therefore considered of great importance. When these exotic forests are established more attention will be paid to the treatment of native forests. The timber supply of the future envisages a balanced yield from both exotic and native forests. Apart from the perpetuation of the supply of timber in New Zealand there are also the all-important duties of the forests in the sheltering of farm lands, conservation of moisture, utilisation of waste lands, and protection of the country against floods and landslides. All these duties are of such major importance (to quote the words of Mr W. G. Morrison, Conservator of State Forests in Canterbury) that it is hardly possible to plant too many trees. Areas Under Forest The total area of State plantations in New Zealand containing exotic trees, is given by the State Forest Service as 393,998 acres, and of this 46,468 acres are in Canterbury. At the close of its last year the service had under its control throughout New Zealand 7,881,574 acres, and although since the inception of the service 15 years ago the area dedicated to forestry in New Zealand has progressively increased by more than 50 per cent., it does not yet comprise 12 per cent, of the superficial area of the whole Dominion. The chief areas in Canterbury are at Balmoral (20,647 acres under trees, 24,014 acres gros-s area); Eyrewell (18,055 acres under trees, 19,206 acres gross area); Hanmer (7750 acres under trees, 10,308 acres gross area). There are several small areas, in various parts of South Canterbury—one of 200 acres at Raincliff, adjoining the property of Major P. H. Thomson, which has aroused the comn'fent of forestry experts. About four-sevenths of the area under exotic forest in New Zealand is controlled by the State. The remainder is divided between private enterprise (approximately 250,000 acres) and local bodies (approximately 30,000 acres). Of the afforestation done by local bodies two-thirds is in Canterbury, the province which is considered to be the most in need of forestry work. Milling- in Canterbury While it is contended that for private capital forestry is an un'safe investment Mr W. G. Morrison (Conservator of State Forests in Canterbury) stated yesterday that the State Forest Service's plantations in which milling had been done had shown a definite financial return. This was made possible largely by the Government's freedom from the cost of the purchase of the land and the payment of taxes, but even so there was a good margin in the return received. The plantation at Hanmer was established in 1901, and for three years milling has been carried out there. The timber is mainly larch, pinus ponderosa (bull pine), pinus laricio (Corsican pine), and pinus radiata (insignis), and there are small areas of oregon. There has been a good demand for the timber, and to-day there are even houses and week-end cottages erected in Hanmer from the timber there. All together about 500,000 superficial feet of the timber has been milled, and this timber has been replaced by replanting or natural regeneration. The biggest plantation in Canterbury is the one at Balmoral, containing mainly radiata, ponderosa, and laricio. This was planted in 1916, and is the nursery headquarters for the province. The drought this season has seriously affected young plantations, but Mr Morrison said that the trees at Balmoral had stood up well to the abnormal conditions. Constant Supervision The third large area in Canterbury is at Eyrewell, and was planted only in 1928, with similar types of tree. These three areas were selected as the most suitable at the disposal of the Government at the time for the growing of conifers. They have been kept under constant supervision, and therefore should show a greater return. Mr Morrison said, than many of those owned by local bodies, which were planted many years ago and until recently not well cared for. The State plantations in Canterbury, he said, had been comparatively little affected by disease or fire. Work was being done at the Cawthron Institute at Nelson in the study of forest diseases, but it was not yet possible to gauge the results achieved. The Government had followed the policy of planting forests on land which was unsuitable for cultivation otherwise, but at present the service did not intend to make further . aditions to the area afforested. Mr Morrison considered that a large amount of the sandy country .long the coast, which was little good l'or any other purpose, could be with advantage afforested, although there wore difficulties to be overcome in fixing the sand. There was already some work done on the sandy country

near Christchurch by the City Council and other bodies, and the timber grown there would have the very big advantage of being very near its market an all-important consideration in the establishment of plantations.