Beech May Have Chip Potential

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32222, 14 February 1970, Page 16

Beech May Have Chip Potential

i fN.Z. Press Association.) NELSON, February 13. New Zealand beech is to be 1 used soon in an experiment to determine its potential forj the Japanese wood chip market and as a sawn timber. The decision of the New : Zealand Forest Service to j conduct an experiment on the ' use of beech was announced in Nelson today by the Nel- : son conservator of forests ' (Mr P. W. Maplesden). “The project involves the felling of remnant areas of I beech within the boundaries of the 70,000-acrc State Forest ( at Golden Downs. “Laboratory tests have indi- ! cated that it is possible to use beech in pulp manufacture, ! but more material is needed ■to determine whether this ’species is really suitable for large-scale processing. Re-establishment | “One of the interesting i features of this experiment [ will be the opportunity it will provide to find the best methods of re-establishing felled areas, either with exotic species of through the ; regeneration of beech. “Considerable work has already been done in the study of natural regeneration I and the results are encouraging," Mr Maplesden said. “However, until now, largescale silver culture has not been possible. “This new venture will allow use and management tests to be done scientifically on a relatively small scale without affecting water and \ soil conservation. “The results could be of economic value to the whole region.”