SCENERY PRESERVATION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2200, 13 July 1914, Page 10

SCENERY PRESERVATION

WILTON'S BUSH AND DAY'S BAY. The report of the Department of Lands and Survey on . tho subject of scenery preservation in New Zealand,, presented to Parliament on Friday, states that the total area of sccnic reserves in 'tlio Dominion to a little oyer 214,000 acres, comprised in 363 different reserves. The great bulk of this land is very hilly and unsuitable 'for settlement purposes, oxcept in every large areas at low rentals; whilst the retention of land in a state of nature greatly benefits settlement, by assisting:to conserve water; protect soil, and prevent denudation; and from a national point of view it is advantageous to have areas such as are included in these reservations, under forest.' ; Reporting on Wilton's: Busli, Mr. E. Phillips .Turner,'. F.R.G.S., says that at present, owing to the want of tracks, much of tho beauty of the reserve is not disclosed to the average visitor, as, generally, such will not subject their unwrinkled cosVumes to the ordeal of scrambling through a tangle of siipplejacks, bush-lawyers, and other obstructionist members of this association of plants. "Were a few'tracks made through tlie wooded part of this reserve:, many more people would':be enabled to view and enjoy the charming scenery of this natural botanical, aarden. . As to Day's Bay. Bush Mr. Phillips Turnorsays that' tho oiily, native birds he found in. the reserve were the faiitail, 'the, blackheaded tomtit, tlio' grey warbler, the tiii, and the wliite-head (popokotea); doubtless the weka and morenork were there:also., He continues: 'IFires havo destroyed most of the bush oil.the'further ,side' of tho ridge, and most of that area is . now occupied , with scrubby manuka,. which, _ from its liability to' fire, will •be a serious menace to' the' safety of tho bush. A caretaker—a man wlio is a treeJover—-should be appointed to preserve, this beautiful natural garden from damago or destruction. It is desirable that more paths be cut to-enablo visitors to see other parts?of 'the busli. and the ,bush oil the harbour side of .tho range should be.planted round with fire-resisting shrubs and trees, as' at. •present the risk .of. its destruction is yery_great. There is not another city in New Zealand that ~ has, practically within its boundaries,.' a reserve like Day's Bay Bush— a specimen of the forest almost the same as it was a thousand years- ago. • Enthusiastic Na-ture-lovers fought, a: hard fight to save the bush; having won, may their interest so surrivo that such a valuable possession may bit/rightly used and cared for." . ;. : " ...