The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1921. FIRES AND FORESTS.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 688, 29 November 1921, Page 4

The Times. Published on Tuesday and Friday Afternoons.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1921. FIRES AND FORESTS.

“The effective protection of the national forest estate against its arch enemy, fire, is the keystone of successful) forestry/’ stajtes the Director of Forestry in his annual report “All the carefully-made plans of management, regulation cut, and exploitation count for nought if the growing forest capital is exposed to destruction by fire. This factor in forestry is 'as important in New Zealand as elsewhere. Just as soon as exploitation begins in the indegenous forests of this country there marches in the archangel of devastation fire.

During the past generation two and a half million acres of virgin timber land has been destroyed, and in some places ate useless, barren waste -- North Auckland. Thames, the central backbone of • the North Island, the Nelson and Marlborough provinces, and the Southern Alps. During this year the oifgy of destruction was maintained and well over 50,000 acres of State woodland went up in smoke. The Director is appalled at the apathy and indifference displayed at 'this wanton destruction ; apparently what is everybody’s business is nobody’s business. It is absolutely essential that this enormous drain which may be conservatively estimated to result in a loss of £1,0001,000 per year —be'checked, and at once. Every individual citizen should concern himself and make his interest felt in the protection of New Zealand forests against fire. The whole question may be summed up in a few words : The residual forests must be saved from destruction by fire by vigilant and continuous conti'ol or in a very few years there will be no merchantable timber forests nor young forests for the generations /to come. Fireprevention is the first step to forest perpetuation. A generali survey of the forest-fire situation. was made during the year, and during the immediate danger season a provisional plan of protection will be in operation in the forest districts of high fire hazard—namely, North Auckland, the Wanganui river watershed, ana Ruahine ranges, through Nelson pno- ' vince, and along the lower eastern slopes of the Southern Alps. Other agencies causing forest damage are deer and stock. A study of ,these factors is now under way, and within a year a satisfactory plan of control will be evolved.”

“We nothing extenuate, nor aught set down in malice.”