ACRES OF SAND

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19999, 26 July 1939, Page 11

ACRES OF SAND

RECLAMATION WORK PLANTING OF PINES AFFORESTATION SUCO ESS Under a policy of transferring men from road cons.ruction worn m \ne winter months, the Public Works Department now has over 100 men engaged in sand reclamation and planting on tne coastal area between Murtwai and Uie £>otuh Kaipara Heuas. About 50 men are on line same type ol work at Waiuku. It is now proposed to transier furtner men lrom .he Housing Department to sand reclamation wortcs. It was in 19d2 that sand reclamation from Muriwai nortmvard was embarked on by the nubile Wonts Department. At that time valuable farmlands were being invaded by sand, and the existence of portions ot the HeiensviLle highway was threatened. The procedure is first to create artificial lore dunes by constructing brush fences to bank up the sand, it often, being necessary to build (cnees over sand-submerged fences. On the seaward side marram grass is planted, and on the inland side lupin follows when the sand is fixed. When the lupin has added enough humus to the sand, pine trees are planted. The wind-resisting pinus pin as.a is planted as the first shelter .bolt and behind these are pianted pinus radiaita, muricata and some p under osa. The measure of the success attained is islhown by the fact that the high water mark north o.f Muriwai has receded and valuable forests are coming into existence. The first planting of pines was in 1936, and now many of such trees are from sft. to Off. m height. About 200 acres have so far been planted this year, bringing the plantaioin areas to MOO acres. Re* placements this win-.er wnl absorb 0 000 two-year-old trees, the total intended to toe planted being 400,000 trees. ■