PLANTING SAND DUNES.

Shannon News, 8 September 1925, Page 3

PLANTING SAND DUNES.

THE RANGITIKEI EXPERIMENTS. In his annual report,, the Director of Forestry makes the following observations on operations at tlie Rantigikel sand dune experiment station: “Extremely favourable weather conditions aided progress during the year, when there were fewer frosts, fewer strong winds, and a much lighter rainfall than the average, lhe frequent formation of wind-channels in the foredune which has hitherto hampered progress is now .being stopped by the burning of. the driftlogs on the beach, as there is no doubt that masses ,o,f these logs were the cause of this trouble. Sand-shift-ing, due to strong winds coming at different periods from two different points, ha*. been effectively met by means of two parallel scrub' fences, El feet apart, with connecting fences at 12 feet intervals. Scrub fences still prove, the most successful type; 207 acres (were planted with marramgrass at a cost of £2 10s per acre. The marram “nurseries” for providing planting stock from marram, “nurseries” for providing planting stock from marram “sets” continue eminently successful, especially in positions where fed by drifting sand. Another 10 acres of marram nursery were formed during the year. Experiments in raising. marram -grass, silvery sand grass (Spinifex hirsutus), and sand sedge (Carox purmla) from seed met respectively with poor, fair, and good results. Sixty-nine acres were planted with trees, and of the trees planted in previous years, insignis pine still proves the most suitable. Natural reproduction of native grasses and sedges since the area was fenced against stock is even more pronounced than a year ago. I’he headquarters of the station have been removed to l a central site at Tangimoana, where a small forest nursery has been established.”