FORESTRY WORK

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 73, 20 December 1920, Page 4

FORESTRY WORK

WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING. Tho Department of Forestry, which is shortly to be provided with a staff - of conservators and rangers, has already made a general reconnaissance .of the fbresfe from Lake Taupo to the East Cape, covering generally the backbone of the mountain ranges of the district. A similar survey of the east slopes of the Southern Alps i§ now being made, tho main object in each coso being to deQne generally those areas of forest's which should lie dedicated as State forests for protection purposes. The Southern Alps survey is! held to be of particular importance, as much of the forest there, although of little commercial value as timber, is essential if the water supply of tho plains is to 1m maintained. Tlio officers to be appointed, as announced in The Dominion last week, include aii_cxpert in forest products, who will stu£y the - economic value of tho various timbers found in the New Zealand forests. The increasing scarcity and high price of timber render it desirable flint more use should be made of limbers, such as bi.rch and fanva, that have been largely neglected in tho past, 'l'ho officer will d.o research work in .several important directions.