DOMINION'S FORESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1920, Page 3

DOMINION'S FORESTS

ARRIVAL OF DIRECTOR

PAST EXPERIENCE AND FUTURE PLANS. The Director of Forestry, Captain L. Mclntosh Ellis, has arrived in Auckland 1 with Mrs Ellis by the Makura from the Old Country. Interviewed by a New Zealand “Times” representative, Cap-

tain Mclntosh Palis said that his experience with regard to forestry had been mainly obtained in Britain, Canada, the United States, and France. When the war broke out he was engaged in forestry work in Canada for the Canadian Pacific Railway, mere his work was very much on the lines- that lie. imagined it would be. here—the de-

velopment of working forestry plans, the protection of forests against fire, and the investigation of the sivicultural requirements and technical possibilities of trees and so forth* He joined tho Canadian Expeditionary Force and served for three years in France as assistant chief forestry officer to the Canadian Forces in their forest operations for the British and French Armies. Their work lay mainly along the French front and in

the pine'and other coniferous areas ol Eastern and Northern France, undei conditions which would be very much the same as those of some of our mountain regions in New Zealand. “EXTENSIVE METHODS.” “In France,” said Captain Mclntosh Ellis, “they have a very high forest development, such as we hope to establish here when we have the necessary information ,the necessary data pertaining to tree growth. The French methods of forestry are ‘extensive,’ as against the German ‘intensive’ -methods. The extensive methods are peculiarly lilted for application to new- countries; hut they are being adopted even in the United States, where they already have great forest development. The extensive system does not require high expnditure, as no doubt the taxpayer will be glad to learn. It is economical, and you achieve your end without going through the laborious processes which the Germans use. Forestry is not necessarily a matter of money, blit of knoivledgfe and scientific guidance, assisting nature in attaining her objective. Forestry being alongtime business, the less the expoditure needed to establish vour plan of management and working the better the results you* get in the end. Of course, here- you have spent a lot of money on your plantations ; but with proper plans, under which you would have your native forests under scientific management, it is more a matter of guidance, assisted by fundamental knowledge of tbe science of siviculture, than a question of expenditure. My position in Canada was that of assistant superintendent to tho Forest Department of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. We had t.mber interests, of course, in the Western States as well. BRITISH EXPERIENCE. “I have also had forestry experience under the British Board of Agriculture, as advisory forest officer in Scotland principally. The Forestry Commission was just being developed at Home last year; and I as identified with the Commission latterly, when it took over the forestry work from the Foard of Agriculture. Under the new Act this work is entirely in the hands of the Commission, and it has an appropriation of £3,000,000 spread over about ten years, which it is spending partly in Government forestry work and partly in assisting private forestry by means of bonus, s and scientific guidance. FIRST STEPS FIRST. “My first work,” lie added, “will be a preliminary inspection of the plantation work carried on by your Government during the past few years, and a general survey of your native forests. Mr Phillips Turner and I am going down to the

South Island in the course of a few days to make a survey of the West Coast and other districts; after which we will make a survey cf the forest districts of the North Island. It will, of course, take some time for me to secure an orientation of the conditions, as they exist here, pertaining to the natural forest conditions ,so as to be able to lay down/ the best working plans. A NEW ZEALAND PERSONNEL. For the training of the necessary personnel for forestry wprk in the Dominion a start is soon to be made in one of your universities to secure an adequate training staff, where good facilities are available. Tliis is a. very important matter; and, in regard to this, l may sav that there is no need to go outside New Zealand to dcvelope the personnel required, because it, will take a period of four or five years to secure a sufficient knowledge of the fundamental conditions here, and during that time the training can go on. It is hoped to investigate each and every species of native trees, so that their technical qualities can be brought out and use made of them wherever possible. You have such a wide variety of species in New Zealand. It surprised and delighted me to see them on my way down by train ; and they must be fitted for very various usivi —in some cases, no doubt for special and valuable uses.” •Captain Mclntosh Ellis expressed himself as very much pleased with what ho had seen of the country so far. # In coming down/ from the north be had seen a cross-section of the country in which some very interesting forest conditions were shown. The native bush they pass-

ed, gave, he said, a good index of the character of the stands of native timber that the department hoped to esablish and perpotpatc for future generations. Some of the country was very good indeed. “NO BLARE OF TRUMPETS.” “We don’t propose to go ahead with a blare of trumpets,” be remarked in conclusion. “You cannot push such work. Forestry is a question of quiet, steady work, and investigation with a body of trained men who love their work, who love the ‘great out-of-doors,’ who like to see their work grow and expand, and are animated by a desire to create something of value to the nation. Tlie development of forestry in New Zealand is vital, of course. But it is not a matter of great expenditure, but of careful investigation and steady work by trained men; and our objective, I believe, can be attained by the development of the natural timber resources of the country, combined with judicious planting.’