Alpine Forestry Experiments

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30586, 31 October 1964, Page 1

Alpine Forestry Experiments

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 30. Ten thousand pine trees have been planted on denuded grasslands of the Southern Alps in an experimental programme expected to finish this evening.

Forest Service ranger-train-ees have been carrying out tree-planting “assaults” on the steep slopes in the forest and range experimental zone at

Craigieburn. Two groups of men were sent from the Reefton ranger school for the project, according to the Forest Service. By tonight 10,000 Scots pine and Corsican pine—as well as special strains of lodgepole pine—will have been planted out on denuded grasslands at 3000 to 4000 feet. In stabilising high-level roads to the ski field, 1600 creeping or shrubby plants of the willow variety will have been planted in gullies and roadside cuttings at the timberline and above—some as high as 4400 feet. Another 4000 trees, pioneer species from high altitude forests in many parts of the world, have been planted out on a variety of sites. This has been done, the Forest Service said, to find which species can

adapt to the extremely rigorous climate and skeletal soil conditions. The mountain nursery—at 3000 feet—is lined out with seedling trees, which will acclimatise ready for next season’s high-level plantings.