AFFORESTATION

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1930, Page 7

AFFORESTATION

WO IK ON THE WEST COAST. By the courtesy of .Messrs A. D. Mc-Oavoek, Conservator cA Forests, Hokitika, («. Amlersou, Cliiel forestry I Hauler, and A. C. Graham, Foreman, J a representative of the “Christchurch | Press” was afforded the opportunity of 1 visiting tin* State Nursery and Plantations near Hokitika. The nurseries are situated at Back Creek, Woodstock o nan alluvial flat at the foot of an old tailings dump. The nursery was established in 1022, and it is estimated that the number of trees raised to March .‘list 1929, was 2.100 000. The number of trees sent to the plantation were forestry enerations are being carried out is put down to date at 1,500,090. The number of trees sent to outside plantations was •'300.000. The number of seedlings raised this year was 750,000 * The plantation is bewteen 1 \ and 2 nt'les sooth of Bimu on the Main South road, and contains an area of 5000 acres of land which •'lias been denuded nf its best bush for sawmilling purposes, and is now largely waste land covered with fern, blackberry, and second growth. What would be otherwise useless land is thereby being turned to "end account for rehabilitating the timbber cut areas, and is providing affore.statiop which will come to maturity hi some fifty to two hundred years’ time.

The plantation was established in ,f T )9 . the area planted to date being 1050 aeres. The species of trees being experimental with are the following Pinos Radiata, Larioio, Pojulerosa, Mu neata, Pinaster, C'upressus, Mncrocrapa, Lawsoniana, Thuya Plicata, CYyp tomeriu Japonlca. Eucalypti, Popul'ls Deltoides, and Douglas Fir (Oregon Bine). The growth of the various trees has varied according to the local conditions existing where they have been planted, and though a percentage of trees liaie not struck and have had to be replanted the general results, have proved highly' satisfactory. Except in fuses where son.e of the pinus/varieties lime made good growth, and,are read'lv visible from the road, the. casual observer ;i lgh conclnde that results havi been below'anticipations. To ,understand the magnitude of the scheme and tlie success attained, it is necessary to make a close inspection of/ the area where fern and other growth;'will he found to have hidden the trees from view. Nevertheless, the tress • can he seen growing vigorously and looking in fine, healthy, promising condition. Tt is somewhat remarkable that such varieties as the Thuya Plicata and Lawsoniana are in some cases smothered by over-growth, and yet are growing just as vigorously as their neighbours who have the advantage of open country and .su/iliglit, Owing to their slow growth it has been necessary to cut down the overgrowth several times already to give the young trees a chance, fn a year or two the trees which are now hidden among the undergrowth will have grown sufficiently to bo mast; ,

ors of the situation, and tlie fern and other growth will gradually die off. The trees are planted in lines running from north to south, eight feet apart. The method planting the trees is to cut a triangle with a notching spade, place the tree in the slit made by the . spade, and close the ground again with the foot to exclude the air.

Since the establishment of the plantation, the rate of planting has been: — in 1923, 169 acres; 1924, 178; 1925, 205; 1926, 208; 1927, 457; 1928, 217 ; 1929, 200 acres. IVlien the Forestry Department took over tlie area for its plantation, the ground was waterlogged owing to the drains having become choked through falling trees. This necessitated a system of drainage having to be carried out, since which time the growth of all the exotic trees lias been much more prolific than at tlie outset. A factor which has further caused growth to be retarded in places has keen the height of the fern in the locality, which often reaches between five and six ifeet. Old tram lines which run through the aiea of cut-out bush afford a means °l mgress, as well as making a safety zone against fire, since the second growth on either side is cleared for a

distance of half a chain for the purpose, fire being more feared than any damage likely to occur through insect life. Patrols are . put out during the dry weather, and compact firefighting appliances are provided in case of an outbreak.

Ihe experience of the Department’s officers at tlie plantation is that the trees doing best are Thuya Plicata, Lawsoniana, Japonica, Pinus Radiata, Ponderosn, and Pinaster. The Doug* las fir (Oregon pine) is, owing to the dampness of the locality, doing just moderately well, it preferring to grow

in dry ground, Records kept indicate that the nvorage growth of the various species has been from nine inches up to three feet per annum, the individual rates of the species being:—Douglas fir and Macro*

carpra 9 inches of new wood annually, Lawsoniana and Populus 10, Pinaster, Laricio. and Ponderosa 12, Thuya Pli-c-iita (Western red cedar) 13, Myricata rtnd Japonica 15,. Radiata 18 inches, and the Eucalypti three feet. An interesting experiment which bids fair to solve the'problem of utifiking.the waste land created through the tailings heaps (mainly large stones) left behind by dredging operations, such as those of the Riinu dredge, is being carried out on the tailings heaps at R'mn Flat. Here the Department lias planted a series of plots of trees, the first being put down in 1924, other lots bMng planted in 1926-7-8. The species experimented with have so. far. been -

Laricio, Radiata, Douglas Fir, and Eucalypti. All the tress are making good growth, and are dotted all over the tailings heaps. Radiata which was sown broadcast in 1926 has to-day reached a heglit of eight feet. When it is remembered the whole afforestation scheme is one purely of experiment, and, so far' as the Westland plantation is concerned, the experiments are being carried out on waste, uncultivated land just as the ■snwmiller left it, constituting probably the severest test which could bo. imposed in the Dominion, it must bo eon-

ceded that definite suppress has been achieved, and the possibility of regen-

eration of our timber forests from stioh n .source worth nerservering with, and

cn'vinc: every indication of achieving the desired end.