FOREST RESEARCH

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1928, Page 4

FOREST RESEARCH

WORK IN WESTLAND. INTER Y 1 E\Y WITH .MR. C. E. FOWERAKKR. C'IIRISTC'T.I URC'II, Eel). ». "Although it is not generally known tlie New Zealand State Forest Service has established near Riniu, in Westland, an up-to-date forest research station,” said Mr G. E. Foweraker, lecturer in charge of the Canterbury (V-1 lege School of Forestry, to a representative of the “ Press ” yesterday, ah- Fou-eraker has just returned from Westland, where, in collaboration with .Mr |*\ E. Hutchinson, he spent most of the college summer vacation. ••The experiment station comprises an area of about 7000 acres, most of which has been logged and burned many years ago. but which once was heavily timbered,” said Mr Foweraker. “ Small patches of naltive forest of many types still exist throughout the area which has been substantially fenced. A low-lying portion has been drained, many of the creeks have been cleaned, out, and old logging tram lines and ' snig ’ tracks have been redeared and used as means of access to various parts. A large shed contains tools and fire-fighting equipment.” YALTA RLE DATA. A large portion of the area had been planted with various species of exoj tic conifers, gums, and broad-leaved trees. The species planted include insignis pine, Corsican pine, pondorosa I pine. American red cedar, Lawson’s eyl press, redwood, Japanese cedar, and | various species of eucalyptus and pop- ■ lars. These species had been planted in blocks of various sizes on a wide variety of sites, including terrace country, swamp, logged and burned bushland, scrub, -.parse native forest, and cleared and uncleared " cut-over country. The object of all this work was to determine the suitability ol various exotic species for afforestation purposes in Westland, which possessed vast areas, once densely covered with native forest, but now more or less ol a wilderness of scrub and blackberry. The operations had been in progress for about live years, and though it was too early yet to come to any conclusion, certain species so far were growing splendidly. American red cedar seemed to settle down well on most sites. Insignis pine on ten-ace slopes, and in the better drained localities was making fine growth. In a few years’ time the results ol the planting operations would give most valuable "data on possibilities ol afforestation with exotics. Mr I'oweralcer stressed the fact that the whole work was experimental, and that no very large area had been planted wile any one species. Every type of site had hecn tried out. One recent ex periment of interest was the direct sowing with species of eucalyptus of a small area which load been burned off. The strike of seedlings there!rom had been verv sueeesslnl. NURSERY STOCK THRIVES. Most of the trees on the area had been raised on the State I'orest Nursery at Woodstock, a lew miles lurtber north. There, on a level strip of silty land bordering the Hokitika river, a verv line nursery Imd been established, and the rapid growth and output ol nursery stock therein was truly amazing. lhe whole experimental area and the nursery were in charge ol a State Forest Service ranger whose headquarters were at the nursery. While experiments wore being carried out on exotics, the possibilities ol regeneration ol the native rimu loi'est were, by no means neglected, and investigations in this direction had been in progress lor sonic years under Mr Fowcrakcr's direction. ’lbis work was continued during the pre-put summer, when a number of sample plots’ were laid out in the patches ol native forest on the experimental area. I’lots varying from one tenth to one acre were demarked by cut lines, surveyed, and pegged. The heights ot all trees were marked, and the diameters of llmse over three inches were accurately recorded. Over .51)!! trees ol all ages and sizes were thus measured and periodical measurements would Tie taken from time to time in order to arrive at definite figures denoting rale ol growth. •• What. too. is the effect on regeneration of burned logged country, of grazing, ol exotic weeds.*’ ’ said Mr Foweraker. in conclusion. “ There is no doubt that the rimu forest regenerates itself when given suitable conditions, and it is the object ol this research, undertaken by the School of data concerning the reproduction of Forestry, to collect actual quantitative the rimu forest. The work is laborious and requires much time and care, but f am confident that with the data already in hand and with what will be forthcoming, a solution of the problem will be obtained.”