Assured market for paper

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33740, 13 January 1975, Page 4

Assured market for paper

[ Exotic forests in re« cent years have for some unexplained reason come to be regarded as a blot on the landscape, according to Mr G. M. O’Neill, Deputy Director-General of the New Zealand Forest Service.

“It seems that converting cut-over indigenous forest to pasture is acceptable but to plant exotic tree species is an assault on the environment,” he said in a paper (prepared for the recent Forestry Development Con- ; ference.

Mr Q’Neill said this might be due in part to foresters paying not enough regard to landscaping forests, failing to provide better access, more places for recreation, and not letting the public know what they were doing. “Whatever the reason, before we can make the progress we should in forest development, we will have to get public acceptance of our proposals. Hopefully, between this conference and the next session in May, 1975, some of these, difficulties can be ironed out,” Mr O’Neill said. Discussing the planting programme for the next decade, Mr O’Neill asked whether there was any other justification for continuing to expand exotic forests, assuming that land, labour and capital were available. DIVERSIFICATION He said it would seem that apart from the need to diversify and expand exports to maintain the present standard of living New Zealand had an international obligation to supply less fortunate countries in the Pacific Basin with timber and timber products at a reasonable price so that they could enioy better housing and improved living standards. “Over the years, New Zealand has accumulated a wealth of experience and a world-wide reputation in the management and use of fastgrowing exotic softwoods,” said Mr O’Neill. "We are probably better nlaced because of this, and because of natural advantages of climate and easy access to deep-water ports, to make some contribution to meeting the needs of the South Pacific and South East Asia. “Whether we can play such a role in the future will depend to a very large degree on public attitudes.” PAPER SHORTAGE A recent United Nations study indicated that by 1978, the world would be facing a paper and paperboard shortage of 16.1 m tonnes, or more than 10 times the deficit in 1974, he said. This finding reinforced his view that with the existing and increasing world shortage of forest products there should be an assured market for all that New Zealand could produce, assuming

stable trading and economic conditions. Mr O’Neill said it was on this basic assumption that the targets working party of the Forestry Development Council set about determining levels of planting for new exotic forests over the next decade. PLANTING RATE An annual planting rate of 21,000 hectares was recommended from the 1969 Forestry Development Conference. But by 1972 the area planted was 33,200 hectares and in 1973 it was lifted to 44,000 hectares, 55 per cent above the level set 12 months earlier. Planting in 1974 was expected to total about the same as in 1973.

The rapid increase in the planting rate had resulted from the increase in forestry’ activity in both the State and private sectors.

“The reasons for the very rapid increase, to the point where target figures are virtually meaningless, are not all that clear,” said Mr O’Neill. . However, it did seem that public confidence in exotic forestry as a productive form of land use followed on the success of the major forest companies. These companies had been among the industrial leaders and New Zealand Forest Products. Ltd. was generally regarded as the bell wether of the New Zealand share market. Noting that minimum and maximum planting levels had been put at 40,000 hectares and 55,000 hectares, Mr O’Neill considered that the! emphasis in forest establishment must shift from the Bay of Plenty, where the planting rate would drop, to Northland, the King Country, Gisborne, Marlborough, Otago and Southland. BEECH FORESTS

“If the West Coast beech scheme goes ahead there may be an increase in exotic planting in that region. The future of exotic forest development in the King Country is largely dependent on the conversion of cut-over indigenous forest. “If recent public reaction to Forest Service proposals for a small cut-over forest in the Kaimai Range can be taken as a guide, then there is the distinct possibility that only limited development will be possible in the King Country,” Mr O’Neill said. “In the long term, Otago

and Southland seem to offer the best possibilities as it « here that the greatest areas of land are available." Mr O’Neill said that what was done now about planting would have a major effect oft the use of capital, labour, power, transport and various other resources in 25 to 3Q years when use began.