Think about firewood on tree day, says DoC

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 639, 4 June 1996, Page 5

Think about firewood on tree day, says DoC

Trees are in focus on Wednesday, 5 June. ArborDay, also known as World Environment Day — the traditional time for making a

special effort to think about trees. Department of Conservation officer Dave Wakelin takes a different approach and is focussing

on firewood — the fate of a number of species. "Around this area there is a thriving industry felling and cutting manuka as firewood," he says. "Woods like manuka are very dense and put out a lot of heat, but they are of greater value than as just another log on the fire." "Manuka is an important nursery tree for our forests, sheltering new seedling trees and providing a habitat for native birds. It acts as a r.et to catch many seeds, allowing them to fall to the protected areabeneath, then it becomes a windbreak for those critical first 4-5 years as the tree becomes established." "Our ravaged forests need to be able to expand and survive. They need forest margins, they need

manuka and other nursery plants as part of the overall strategy to defeat possums." "This winter save a tree — put a log or two less on the fire, don'tburn manuka, look to alternative forms of heating, think of our forests as more than firewood — put on a pullover — take a walk," advises Mr Wakelin.