Plant trees for your lives

Press, 22 March 1986, Page 18

Plant trees for your lives

JACK D. MEECHIN,

the writer of this article, was editor of

the “Soil and Health Journal” for many years and is president of the Canterbury branch of the Soil Association of New Zealand.

My sympathy goes out to those unfortunate enough to have suffered materially, financially, and mentally from the recent flooding in South Canterbury and North Otago. I too, have suffered in a smaller way from damage caused by fire and I realise how depressed and lethargic people must be and how this engenders a "dead” feeling from the shock of the catasrophe. I vividly remember a friend arriving the day after the fire. Equipped with a trailer, stable broom, and long handled shovel, he brought me back to life and reality with the words “well, where do we start?”

can plant trees on the hills and valleys. Anyone familiar with the Mackenzie or Marlborough areas would be aware of the visible soil erosion which should never have occurred and which can be prevented from becoming worse. • When I travel through the large areas of tussock in the Mackenzie, I wonder why it is not planted in trees, both indigenous and exotic.

It would be a fine example of forward thinking if the Mackenzie County Council were to purchase or lease large areas of land and plant them in trees. Future selective logging would not only provide a source of income for the council, but would also provide work and the raw material for industries for the residents of Fairlie and the surrounding country. Not only would the topography be enhanced, but the climate would be altered and there would be potential for increased horticultural enterprise and diversity of primary production.

That is what the Government has to do today, they have to provide the broom, shovel, and equipment to activate the process of clean-up. At the same time, the authorities, both local and central, must take a long term view of what action to take to avoid similar events in the future. '

We have in New Zealand at present an excess of several million sheep. Surely this is the opportune time to further lower the level of grazing in the high country so that that land can be reafforested. Let us set up an extensive tree planting scheme whereby the unemployed, instead of having a free hand-out.

When I was a lad at the Fairlie District High School, the pupils gathered at the Aorangi Hall to hear the then chairman of the Mackenzie County Council, Mr C. J. (Charlie) Talbot, speak of the misty gorges and the importance of tree planting in the high country.

“Plant trees for your lives” was the message delivered that day in the late 19205. The message is more pertinent today in view of the massive devastation that has occurred in the last week in South Canterbury and North Otago. Had that message and warning been heeded, much of the suffering and losses of homes, stock, and farmland would have been avoided. Charlie Talbot had the foresight to see that floods originate in the water catchment areas and that if sufficient ground cover by trees could be established, much of the flooding would never happen. The tree or forest cover has a sponge effect, holds the excessive moisture, and allows it to percolate downstream at a rate that cushions and avoids the potential damage. We have allowed grazing on the high country by domestic and introduced animals and we have visible soil erosion and we have been too slow in taking action. Catchment boards, to give them their due, have done good work, but although Government-sub-sidised, have been largely powerless to prevent major flooding in many parts of New Zealand. What we need is a positive policy put into immediate effect by the newly set-up Ministry of the Environment and the marshalling of forces, including catchment boards, to give immediate priority to a sensible programme of reafforestation in the catchment areas.

Much today is said of high technology. What I would like to see is a scheme designed by our engineers so that flash floods in rivers can be tamed. Surely it is possible to excavate man-made lakes in river areas, and to have some form of control gates operated remotely so that when a flash flood develops the excess water, or part of it, is diverted into the man-made lakes and saved to be used for irrigation in the summer months.

It is a matter of regret to me to see flood water going directly to the sea, and so wasted. Water is vital to our agricultural and horticultural economy. Not only must we appreciate its value, but we must use it when nature provides us with it Our engineering capability is second to none — it is only a matter of application and dedication and we can turn potential tragedy to our benefit

When I tramp over the walkways of Canterbury, I see many hillsides and valleys that could carry a canopy of trees, land that cannot be farmed economically, land subject to erosion, and land largely useless.

Some years ago, a South Canterbury farmer, Mr M. J. Sugrue, had a stream flowing through his property. Each year in summer, when the water was needed, the stream would dry up. Realising the value of trees and the blotting paper'effect the tree cover would provide, he planted a south-facing hillside in trees of

mixed species. The result was a. supply of water all year round. » The same effect can be ob-' tained in the high country and on;, the Port Hills. I see this area as* largely wasteland but the Christ- f church City Council which recently has purchased the Bowen-* vale estate, could plant part of, this in trees, not only for their; aesthetic value but as a potential; revenue and rate reducing enter-* prise for the future. * The essential point to re-., member in afforestation is to» plant mixed species of trees, so, that the soil strata is not weak- - ened at any one level and the* varying tree root depths anchor* the trees in excessive wind or* north-west gales. Single species’ of tree suffer in excessive winds as Canterbury knows from the? great “blow” of the seventies. § In Scotland some years ago| there was a near perfect ex-t ample of this. There were twoadjacent forests, one planted in| pines and the other in mixed; species of trees. The gale flat-* tened the pine forest while in the" nearby forest of mixed varieties« of. tree, there was one casualty. * New Zealanders are a re-* sourceful people. Let us learn* from the recent floods and use* nature to tame the vagaries of* the weather. At the same time* we can gain new industries, k further horticultural opportuni-* ties through the micro-climates J created, and, most important,* conserve our land for future* production of food, shelter and, wealth. •