Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1924. FIXATION OF SAND AND AFFORESTATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2709, 18 March 1924, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1924. FIXATION OF SAND AND AFFORESTATION.

SOME years ago the Foxton Chamber of Commerce aroused interest in the reclamation of sand dune areas along this coast and the agitation is now bearing fruit. In the vicinity of the mouth of the Raugitikei River the Forestry Department has been reclaiming portion of a sand dune area as an experiment, the object being lo ascertain the most effective and cheapest method of reclaiming the sandy areas, and stopping the havoc caused by the drifts. The work which was inspected last week by Mr Goudie, Conservator of State Forests, has now been in progress for three years. Mr Goudie interviewed, slated they now had sufficient marram grass stock to cover about 200 acres during this winter. In 1925 it is expected to cover 1.000 acres, and the sand fixation work is expeded to be done by the end of that year. In anticipation of this they had selected the site for a forest tree nursery, which in the near future would be put in order for the sowing of tree crops some time next October. The nursery would be sufficiently large to enable about 500,000 trees to be handled. These would be planted over an area of about *_!;>() acres. When the department took over this area the intention was to solve the problem of lixing sand by the best and cheapest method. Alosl of the work had been of an experimental nature, and it was anticipated that the experience gained would be consolidated and made available for similar sandy areas throughout New Zealand. The area on which they now were working would be planted with trees. Tt was probably the worst in the Dominion, owing to tin* very "severe winds which they had to contend with. The area now being dealt with will protect three miles of country when completed. The department has been experimenting wit It spaeement and arrangement of planting marram grass with a view to eoatrolling drifts and the diffusion of the wind evenly over the whole area. A thing to he avoided was planting in rows which gave a series of wind channels. They have tried out a system of planting in curved lines (o ensure an even diffusion of wind over the whole area planted. The full effects of these experiments had not yet manifested themselves. The final solution of the problem lav in the planting of I reds, which would prove a profitable crop, and also recoup the Government for its outlav in the cost of sand fixation.