TEVIOTDALE FOREST

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 23

TEVIOTDALE FOREST

Control Of Nassella Nassella infestation and the results of eradication measures in the Teviodale State forest area were inspected this week by members of the North Canterbury Nassella Tussock Board and officers of the New Zealand Forest Service. At the last meeting members had expressed dissatisfaction with the efficiency of seed control applied by the Forest Service. After the inspection the chairman (Mr T. G. Maxwell) said that the board must insist on the same standard of control from the .Forest Service as it did from farmers. However, he was impressed with the progress that had been made, and with the health and vigor of the trees that had been planted. The conservator for the Canterbury conservancy (Mr M. J. Conway) told the board that the Forest Service had determined that if nassella was not sprayed or grubbed by mid-November the viability of the seed was unimpaired by subsequent spraying or grubbing. “That is, spraying and grubbing after mid-November to prevent seed spread are, in the opinion of the Forest Service, a waste of time and public funds. Appreciating your problem, the Forest Service goes to considerable efforts to minimise nassella seeding by completely spraying by mid-November each year. “This year, of the 1340 acres scheduled, a very small part, mostly in small pockets, remain uncompleted because of persistently high winds during the period of seed development,” said Mr Conway.