Radiata pine

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33778, 26 February 1975, Page 16

Radiata pine

Sir, —With regard to recent correspondence relating to Radiata pine on the West Coast I have been informed that in recent months a ban was imposed on the movement of pine trees from the West Coast to other areas. Would a Forest Service spokesman advise whether my information is correct? If it is correct, how is this consistent with the assurances we have been given that there is no risk of disease involved in planting Radiata pine on the West Coast.—Yours, etc., WONDERING February 19, 1975. [Mr J. W. Levy, Conservator of Forests, Canterbury, replies: “Pine needle blight (dothistroma pini) is widespread except for limited areas of the North Island, eastern Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Regulations prohibiting the movement of susceptible trees from infected areas have been in force for several years and not, as indicated by your correspondent, imposed within recent months. The regulations were first invoked in 1967 to help prevent the spread of this disease which attacks pine needles and hinders the growth of affected trees. The disease can be controlled very effectively by spraying with copper compounds but this increases the costs of forest management. The very effective control that is possible means that this disease places no more limitation on growing radiata pine on the West Coast than it does on the central North Island where pine management is so basic to the prosnerity of that region.”]