NATIVE TREES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 237, 6 October 1936, Page 5

NATIVE TREES.

WHY NOT PLANT THEM OPPORTUNITY IN AUCKLAND. WAITAKERES AND DOMAIN. "In the magazine section of Saturday's 'Star' there appears an article by Nelle Scanlan, contrasting English usage and custom in preserving trees with New Zealand's wholesale destruction of native bush," writes Mr. J. A. Hughes, of Bourne Street, Mount Eden, in a letter to the editor of the "Star." "Mention is made of the custom there of always planting a new tree if one is blown over by a gale or otherwise destroyed.

"In an article I read recently reference was made to growth of new young kauri trees at a place on the Coromandel Peninsula. I think it is Nature's method, where native bush has been destroyed, to re-establish the bush first usually with manuka, among which spring up the young trees of kauri, rimu, totara, etc. If left undisturbed, and not cut off or burned, the native bush would soon again cover the area. Waitakere Opportunities. "We in Auckland have wonderful native bush, with its unrivalled attractions. What a splendid opportunity the Waitakere Eidge Eoad offers! Native trees could be "judiciously planted along this route, so that some of the valleys could become the home of our forest giants, growing among a luxuriance of smaller native bushes and trees, with pungas, tree ferns, nikaus, etc., that make such an appealing scene of picturesque beauty. "The tui, bellbicd, the native pigeon, the friendly fantail and other birds would doubtless make it their home, while all along the route kowhai, pohutukawa, rata, hohere and other flowering trees could; be established. "'..a whole area should be proclaimed a sanctuary for native .fauna! and-for*.

"Can we visualise such an area in the spring time, with hundreds or thousands of plants of clematis, trailing their wreaths and clusters of starry beauty — then kowhai, golden and red, cabbage trees, hohere, pohutukawa, rata and others? Will someone in authority catch the vision and see it put into effect ?

"Another instance much nearer home is our Domain —at the back of Carl aw Park to the tunnel, to the drive at Parnell entrance, to the back of the gardens right round to fill the gully behind the bowling green, and up to the hospital. This area at present is most unsightly, mostly weeds and rank growth.' In a few years what a beauty spot it could be if planted with nikau. punga, kawakawa, kauri, rimu, and the numerous other beautiful native trees. Here, again, why not plant clematis and other of our beautiful flowers? If a plentiful number of kauris were planted here, there is little doubt that posterity would have a wonderful attraction —a stand of kauri right in the heart of the city. "There is at present behind the gardens a solitary kauri rika. Why not plant a few thousand now. In. this area quite a lot of exotic rubbish, gorse, privet, etc., has been recently cleared off; before it reappears plant the place with our own native bush right from Parnell to the hospital. What a picture real native bush would make from Symonds Street, Grafton and Parnell. Can we visualise it? Will our City Fathers take action and plant for posterity a native forest right in the heart of the city?"