Time To Think Of Trees

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32068, 16 August 1969, Page 9

Time To Think Of Trees

The accompanying item en farm tree planting has been written bp Mr G. A. 3. Greig, foreitru extension oflleer of the Forest SerOiee in Christchurch.

The urgent need for more tree planting in Canterbury seems to be generally recognised today. Since 1935 the annual planting rate has averaged only 1000 acres, while present usage exceeds 2500 acres. The major building material produced in Canterbury is cut from radiata pine and almost a third of this came from private woodlots last year. Since 1965, planting rates have increased substantially and it should be very gratifying to all concerned that 5000 acres of radiata pine was planted in 1968, over 1500 acres of this by local authorities and private landholders. An additional 500 acres of other species, Douglas fir etc., and trees used for shelterbelts, were planted by local authorities and private landholders, bringing their total to 2000 acres. This was a sterling effort and deserves wider recognition. The Forest Service planted more than 4700 acres, of which 3500 acres was radiata pine. To maintain self-suffici-ency in timber supplies in Canterbury, this level of planting will need to be stepped up by the end of the century, and the question is, where is the land? The traditional use for land in Canterbury has been for pastoral and cropping purposes and good land for large scale afforestation is not easily available. The State cannot continue its present planting rates for long, and as soon as the backlog of reafforestation of cut-over land is completed, planting rates will drop to a relatively low figure. The hall is at the toe of the private landholder, who now has the opportunity to take over the major timber growing role if he has the strength to take advantage of it In no other province has the private investor such a golden opportunity. It seems likely that afforestation on the plains will not expand substantially, except for soil moisture conservation and shelter purposes. The lower hill country can support double the timber growth rates of the plains, as recent sales have indicated, where the average net return has exceeded $3O an acre a year for every year of the life of the stand, untended from the day it was planted. The most obvious areas for tree planting can be seen at a glance from the car. These are the weed infested areas, the shady faces which are difficult of development for grazing which can be seen from Motunau to Kaikoura and back to Hanmer Springs, from Hororata to Springfield and from Peel Forest to Waimate. Yet these are some of the best tree growing sites in Canterbury. Choice sites will grow up to three times more timber an acre than the drier frontal plains. Distance from the market is a relatively

minor factor under , the circumstances. The Sunday driver might well be puzzled that something has not been done about planting up these areas, but the problem is not as easy as it looks. The question of financing tree planting projects has concerned the State for some time and loan funds have been made available at very liberal terms since 1963. As a substantial part of the private planting effort, the Forestry Encouragement

Loan Scheme has assisted with the planting of 1150 acres, while finance has been arranged for a further 1500 acres. Liberal though the loan terms are, the scheme is likely to be phased out shortly in favour of a straight out grant This indicates clearly enough the concern felt that tree planting should be stimulated in every possible way, but the landholder himself has to accept some financial responsibility and in some cases this can be substantial, so it is understandable that many are reluctant to enter into a new field of activity unless the chance of success is high. Some may have suffered disappointment or failure in previous tree planting efforts, and are reluctant to become involved, but they should realise that nothing stands still, that new methods and new techniques are con-

tinually developing and that they cannot afford to leave land lying idle. It is neither in their interest nor the national interest Nearly all failure can be related to lack of preparation, or failure to appreciate the factors which militate against success, and where

weeds are a problem it may take two or more years of preparation before planting begins. For this reason it is suggested that where a landholder feels that he has scope for a tree planting project, now is the time to do something constructive about it. Applications close at the

' end of this month for finant cial assistance for projects C beginning next season. Forms i can be obtained from any . ■ office of the Forest Service. i Individual attention can then * , be given to each enterprise • and a critical analysis made of cost factors and the poten- > tial of the project.