C.—3.

2. Protection Forests. The question of conserving the remaining indigenous forests on the hill country of the Dominion still continues to occupy a prominent place in the press and in the minds of the general public, more particularly when serious river-floodings, landslides, &c., occur, as has happened in recent months in the North Island. Whether such catastrophes can be attributed wholly to the destruction of the forest cover is still a moot point and the subject of controversy amongst experts. Possibly in the final analysis it may be found that the great ground movements which resulted from the Hawke's Bay earthquake of February, 1931, have played a large part in causing the excessive landslides referred to, but undoubtedly stream flow can be regulated and rapid run-off following heavy rains prevented by the presence of a good forest floor of ferns, mosses, lichens, &c., such as are found wherever the forest cover has been undisturbed. The Service has therefore kept the important question of the extension of forest-protection areas continually in the foreground, and is pleased to report that over the past four years 1,780,000 acres of this class of forest have been permanently reserved. The area so reserved for the year just closed exceeded 100,000 acres, and when negotiations now in hand are completed a further area of approximately 74,000 acres covering the northern portions of the Kaimanawa and Ahimanawa Ranges will be added. It has been mentioned in previous reports, but may be repeated for general information, that Conservators of Forests have standing instructions that all bush within 10 chains of any public highway, along the banks of rivers or lakes, and on watersheds must be conserved for scenic purposes, and when sawmill areas are being demarcated any bush which comes within this category should be excluded therefrom. It may also be repeated that water-conservation and the prevention of erosion and denudation through the maintenance of forest cover is one of the chief functions of the Forest Service. It is such a popular fallacy that the extraction of logs from a standing forest must of necessity seriously reduce the protection value of the forest that it may be well to point out that under proper forest management the taking-out of selected trees has in most cases a beneficial effect in this respect by encouraging the rapid growth of secondary species which very quickly heals the scars made by the removal of the large trees. 3. Forest Reconnaissance, Inventory, and Timber Cruising. Indigenous Forests. The reconnaissance-work in hand at Herekino State Forest (North Auckland) at the end of the previous fiscal year was completed shortly afterwards, and the investigating officer compiled a report on the kauri areas with an inventory of the timber, accompanied by topographical and type plans. The forest was subdivided into compartments, but a working-plan was not prepared, as it is not proposed to exploit this timber at present. The reconnaissance of Omahuta Forest, in the same conservancy, was also completed, and a comprehensive report and inventory of all species prepared. This forest has been subdivided into compartments suitable for the introduction of working-plans, and future operations herein will be on a properly managed basis. Similar work at Waipoua Forest was extended, and all the forested area in Block VII, Waipoua Survey District, was topographically surveyed and the timber typed and estimates made. Work of a similar nature was carried out with respect to the kauri-bearing areas in Block 111, and a cruise of the timber was commenced. From the areas already cruised it appears that the former estimates of timber quantities have been unduly optimistic. Preliminary work was undertaken at Puketi State Forest with a view to locating a suitable main access and extraction route to enable road-work and later a reconnaissance and topographical survey to proceed, but work was retarded owing to flooded rivers and other difficulties. It is hoped that more progress will be made this year. At Warawara State Forest reconnaissance-work on a moderate scale was commenced, 575 chains of grid-lines being chained and contoured, 650 chains of boundary-lines opened up, and a compass traverse made of 250 chains of tracks. In Rotorua Conservancy 836 chains of external boundaries of State forests were redefined, and similar work in Nelson totalled 620 chains, where also 6,181 acres were topographically surveyed and 18,000,000 board feet of milling-timber located on 5,665 acres. A very large reconnaissance survey carried out in Westland Conservancy to ascertain more accurately the remaining supplies of white-pine covered a total area of 51,000 acres near Wataroa and Waiho, Okura-Jackson's Bay, and Stillwater-Karangarua River localities. In Southland Conservancy reconnaissance surveys were made over 8,504 acres in all, and the volume of timber thus located was 59,413,700 board feet. Timber cruising field parties were fully engaged throughout the whole year cruising blocks of timber to meet the demands of sawmillers, who not infrequently are nearly " cut out " before making their requirements known for new supplies. A function of the Service is also the cruising of timber on behall of the Lands and Survey and Native Departments, &c., and much work was done under this head, particularly in Rotorua, Wellington, and Southland regions.

2 —C. 3.

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