Camp contorta cut starts

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 589, 6 June 1995, Page 1

Camp contorta cut starts

by

Michele

Monaghan

For years the Army has been undertaking a pinus contorta eradication programme on its land in Waiouru. Now the full impact of the programme is becoming obvious to Waiouru residents with the removal of hundreds of mature trees from within camp and along State Highway One (SH1). The pinus contorta along SH1 provided a windbreak for many houses on the northern side of camp, but because of the need to comply with the Resource Management Act and the fact trees were dropping branches on to SH 1 the trees had to come down. Many residents were not aware the shelter belt was made up of pinus contorta. They knew the noxious plant was in the training area but were not aware it was sitting right on their doorsteps. Contorta has also been removed or will be removed from the Officers' Mess hill, the hospital hill, Gory Green, the rugby fields, the cemetery, the top horse paddocks and an area around Cambrai Barracks. Some of the trees ^ 60 to 70 years old and hold a certain amount of nostalgia, land management officer, John Mangs said. Several years ago radiata pine trees were planted behind the pinus contorta shelter b*lt on SH1

these trees are now mature enough to provide some shelter from the wind. Other replanting will be undertaken as soon as possible, Mr Mangos said. Initially it was thought the Army would have to pay for the removal of the pinus contorta from within camp, but a market has been found and the project will now be self-funding. The cutting and extraction as well as the replanting of new trees will all be funded from proceeds from the milling of the timber. Most of the mature trees are being cut to specification for export to Korea while Winstone Pulp International have also undertaken to mill some. a

"It's a big thing getting rid of it. We're

quite lucky to have Winstone Pulp to

take this mature pinus contorta.

They've been very

accommodating."

Because of the

market at present

logging needs

to be fin-

ished

before the end of June. Then a management

programme will be set up for people to

get firewood themselves. Mr

Mangos requests people to wait

until the go-ahead is given

because the trees are

being cut to

specification.