STATE FORESTS.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 401, 7 April 1937, Page 7

STATE FORESTS.

ATTRACT TOURISTS Schemes in America. After visiting forest > reserves and laboratories in many parts of the United S.'ates t.nd Canada, Mr V. Grenning, director of forests in Queensland, is impressed with the possibilities of foi est conservation as 1 means of absorbing large numbers of unemployed young men. An arrival at Auckland by the Aorangi from Vancouver, Mr Grenning is to make a short inspection of New Zealand forests before returning home. Mr Grenning 'told a newspaper representative that one of the few Works' carried out under the National Recovery Act in America which had earned praise and ndt criticism was that of the Civilian Conservation Corps, which laslt year had been the means of giving employment to about 250,000 young men. Since then, he added, a similar number had been removed from the ranks, of the unemployed. Apart from the parks and forests being greatly improved as a result, forestry officials had been able to get 20 years ahead of their programme. The value of forests, especially as reel eation grounds had been vastly increased. Aboult 80,000,000 visitors had seen the parks and forests last year, and for those who desired to spend some time there (the State had built about 3750 camping grounds. In Canada it was estimated that the State forests had attracted as much as £ 1b,000,000 in the laslt year in the touriit trade, so it could be seen that the national parks had more than paid their way in attract. ing visitors. Mr Grenning s iso referred lo tho attention beipg paid in the United States to commercial problems so far as forest products were concerned. Successful results were being obtained, and it Was hoped to be able to supply peopM with all-wooden houses much mors quickly and 'at a cheaper rate than in the past.