REAFFORESTATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1922, Page 8

REAFFORESTATION.

OPERATIONS IN TARANAKI. (By Our Urenui Correspondent.) Mr. Norman Uren, of the State Forests Department, is at present paying his periodical visit to this district, and is inspecting the various reserves under his control. To those interested in afforestation, a conversation with Mr. Uren is iboth interesting and instructive, and a few of his remarks on the variousexperiments being carried out under his supervision at Kohuratahi, which are his headquarters, may prove of interest to your readers.

It appears that a number of different varieties of trees have been placed in separate plots in the tawa bush, the forest being - lightly cleared of undergrowth, and the crown canopy or matured tawas cut out where necessary to lighten the degree of shade. The trees planted were: No. 1. box Pinus Strobus; No. 2, Pseudotsliga Douglasii (600); No. 3, Finns Strobus, (400); No. 4, Cryptomcria Japonica. (400); No. 5. Cupressus Lawsoniana, (100); Thuga Gigantea, (100); Sequoia Sempervirens, (100); Cupressus Macrocarpa, (100). All the trees have struck and seem to be doing well, and their progress will be watched with interest. A plot of one-third of an acre was cut up into thirds. The first portion was cleared of all matured tawas shadin’, it; the second was treated so that all pungas, mahoe, konini, etc., were removed, and the matured trees left; whilst the third was lightly scrubbed. The amount of shade represented was—plot 1, one degree; plot 2, five degrees; and plot 3, seven to nine degrees. Each plot was again sub-divided and then quartered, and in each small quarter the number of seedlings (or young trees) growing (according to species), were counted, the amount of shade of each quarter noted, whilst the forest litter, the humus, and the quality of the soil and sub-soil was also taken. The matured and the maturing trees were girthed, their heights taken, and age rings counted, each tree being numbered in the data report. The forest area is principally dominated by tawa, yet curiously the seedling which is most in evidence is kahikatea, tawa seedlings coming third. From the foregoing, the Department has definite data to work upon, etc., a counted area, of which all conditions are known, and of which growth and other conditions can be noted from year to year.

Mr. Uren states that settlers are becoming more interested in tree planting every .season, and some of the experiments being carried out by them were somewhat unusual, such as one planting Douglas fir on the native bush in the Ohura. and finding it a success; others of sowing seed broadcast, using the pinus insignus to hold fern-clad hills; and attempts made to raise various kinds of Australian hardwoods. Even millers seriously contemplate restocking “cut over'’ bush areas with fast growing timber trees. County and Borough Counci.l|S, Town Boards and School Committees all are realising the value of timber plantations, and planting has increased considerably in this direction during the past season. With regard to the fire season, Mr. Uren states that details arc well is hand for the “burning oil’” period in Taranaki, and that it is pleasing to note the amount of co-operation that is given the Forest Service in this matter by the settlers. It was through this co-oper-ation that last year not one acre of State Forest was burnt. It is wise to advise the district ranger, at Kohuratahi, at least three days before, burning. in order to allow him time to be there to protect the forests. In fighting fire, prevention is better than cure, and the methods adopted are simple indeed. Areas of fallen bush near the standing

bush are fired first, generally against the wind and main fire. These are given twenty to thirty minutes to burn against the wind, and a distance of from one to two chains is then cleared of in- , flammable material, when the main fire !is lighted. The consequence is that the J farmer gets a bum in no way inter. . fered with and the forests are likewise 'protected with very little expense.