Big Increase In Forest Output In Canterbury

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29724, 18 January 1962, Page 3

Big Increase In Forest Output In Canterbury

A greatly increased cutting programme in the Eyrewell State Forest last year was the main reason for the big expansion in the output of timber from State exotic forests in Canterbury. It was the second year in succession showing a big increase. By the end of last month 2,769,000 cubic feet of timber had come out of the forests: this was 885,000 cubic feet more than was cut in 1960.

But although the cutting of the Eyrewell forest was stepped up from 1,076,000 to 1,789,000 cubic feet last year even this does not amount to the estimated annual growth there. That is about 2m cubic feet. The Conservator of State Forests in Canterbury (Mr H. V. Hinds) said yesterday that the greater part of the State forests was planted in the days of the afforestation boom from 1925 to 1935, This meant that a large proportion of the forests was a similar age. and this caused serious embarrassment in the management of the forests.

More Cutting “It is probable that it will be necessary to cut more than the annual growth in future years to bring about a more satisfactory spread of age classes,” said Mr Hinds. Production at the Hahmer Springs State Forest was now about the annual growth—--290.000 cubic feet a year—and that at Balmoral—646.ooo cubic feet—was not far short of the estimated annual growth of 700,000 cubic feet. “A future of the last year was the stepping up of

extraction from the Ashley State Forest from merely token quantities to an output of 44.000 cubic feet for the year,” said Mr Hinds “As opposed to the plains forests of Balmoral and Eyrewell. Ashley is situated on the foothills and enjoys both a better climate and better soil conditions.

“Planting started in 1939 and the present output is from the thinning of 20-year-old radiata pine. The fact that thinnings can be profitably sold at this stage indicates much promise for the future of Ashley.”

The increase in extraction from State forests was partly attributable to the natural expansion of activity because of population increase, and some of it was possibly attributable to a fall in the output from farm woodlots and shelter belts. Canterbury’s supply of indigenous timber came from the West Coast and this again had shown a slight increase, as indeed it had for the last tew years. Mr Hinds said.