RECLAIMING SAND DUNES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2850, 24 February 1925, Page 3

RECLAIMING SAND DUNES.

WORK AT OROUA DOWNS. afforestation work at Oroua Downs aeorestation work at Oroua Downs is being steadily extended with complete' success, an official of the State Forest Service at Palmerston N informed a “Standard” reporter. Recently the camp at the southern end of the large experimental area of "sand waste was removed to Tangimoana. where all hut one of the hutments are now located, and various sheds and outbuildings are being const meted at the permanent headquarters of the work. The nursery at the site of the old camp, the reporter was informed, is being retained as a planting out area for one year old trees. A new nursery has been prepared at Tangimoana and 250,000 seedlings have been raised there. When they are a year old half of them will be planted out there and the rest in the old nursery, while during the following year they will he permanently plan - tod out on the coastal land where the drift of the sand has been arrested by the systematic planting of marram grass. “The marram grass continues to do excellently,” stated the departmental officer “and it. is holding the sand in place in a satisfa jtovy manner.” He mentioned that the raised bank along f be shore-front was fulfilling its purpose and was becoming higher as the sand drifted up on it and was kept there by the vigorous growth of the exotic grass which continues to push up through the accumulation of drift from the beach.

Formerly one of the greatest hindrances to the afforestation at Oroua Downs was the ravages of the rabbits, which abounded in thousands on the coastal wastes, hut this menace has now been almost entirely' obviated. “We are now just completing the last half mile of rabbit proof fencing, and that, aided by a vigorous poisoning campaign, has practically cleared the area of rabbits,” stated the forestry official.- He added that a stage had now been reached when the rabbits were no longer a serious hindrance to the success of tree planting.