TREE-MINDEDNESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 85, 12 April 1937, Page 8

TREE-MINDEDNESS

;::J'-F;^-^'(JO:: th» -Editor.)/:. ;'--- ( -'-:. .-;j : Sir,—lf it ..takes a marketing board to impress upon the grower of fruit or potatoes the necessity of organisation, in perfecting '•. a scheme • for their production: and disposal,, it is ; very evident • that ?: the cultivation of , treemindedness or tree-sense ."among .'the people .must'.-,.a150 be ; done\ on- some! such lines. ' The cultivation of a: treesense will appeal to many:l as.:nothing more /than luxuriating,beneath :a:^restful leafy tree in. a sense of peace, and | ease from all the world and" its worry. But there is much to be done ere it. comes to' that"; And yet .again; perhaps the -.-planting and „ growing; of a-' young tree is- one; of,,the most: interesting and simple' operations in /the '.art of horticulture ; or,;,arboriculture. .In a limited sense': (anyone v can become; an expert tree planter.' AH 'that is needed is': a; lover ;of S'trees','' and ..somewhere suitable to grow them, arid' herein lies one of the commonest mistakes'both on the farm and the suburban plot. When a tree is reaching its, dimensions .of maturity';: it has to be ignominiously sacrificed' because it is, too close to the hqiise or vegetable and flower garden for. the want of a; little consideration, beforehand. -, , . ',

If I wanted the people-to .acquire: a love of trees! would not put up noticed at our native forests, "Trespassers will be prosecuted." Rather would I- make natural winding paths or tracks as the wild : things do in 'a forest, so that the visitor could, wander, away and,: see,..and: enjoy: Nature in1 its .pristine: beauty:': to, ■:; his content: ■ -Only in' veryi extreme [cases would:be found .vandalisrhJ'.'.'to.f; any extent,,": Arid' that hostile-feeling: would be.replaced by^.a protective':pride :of possession^.the finest.security we could possibly-/ have for.,our■„natural,.heritage.- The chief danger to our forests is fire, .'and .this ' cannot be-too: strongly impressed: on all users ;of oifri roads. A trailer, following the trains,; especially the heavy goods trains, : in : the dry season- could '•■ prevent many- potential destructive : fires in , the - high country whereI.our National Park lies. Again, it seems apparent much could be. done in this direction,, by/clearing ,up :and felling the, old unsightlyl dead trees, a standing menace along .the- boundary by rail and As anyone, with ex-, perience of. past . bush' fires : knows, these trees, like flaming beacons carry the fire for miles when it! could "otherwise be suppressed and confined. The strongest criticism against :the Government ..carrying,, put; operations;:in ,ithis direction^; is•: on the ' score- "of' expense, but. enterprise ..of: any , kind. Tequires a • minimum of, expense which in this case, to my mind, would be worth while. ~ : : ■'■■ ~ ■' ,'■'■;. , Some months ago I wrote you of the practicability: of turning'that area of Newtpwn Park now covered with pine trees long' past maturity, into a park as the name implies, instead of the dreary, pine-needle covered, floor and unsightly trees which are. gradually dying. Remove these under an organised plan for sawmilling and firewood, and the area could be remodelled and replanted afterwards by the, children of Wellington schools, and you will also have implanted an .interest,' a love of Nature, and at the same time a protective interest in the minds and hearts of the children. It is unnecessary to remove the old stumps, as ; ,young: trees seem to • grow exceptionally well on the undisturbed surf ace.—l?arrf, etc., WILL. G. TOLLEY.