CONSERVATION' OF FORESTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 124, 18 February 1921, Page 6

CONSERVATION' OF FORESTS

VIEW OF HARVARD EXPERT “WHY WASH NEW ZEALAND INTO j THE SEA ?” The need for conservation of forests in the Dominion was emphasised yesterday by Professor Ernest H. Wilson, assistant director of the Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, U.S.A., who is travelling through New Zealand on special investigation work in connection with ■the arboretum. An Englishman, Professor Wilson has been at the arboretum for over fifteen years, and has done much research work in matters affecting forestry, and the study of forest flora. In conversation with a Dominion reporter yesterday. Professor Wilson spoke of the value of forestry schools, and the immense value of their operations in Canada and in the United States. Ihe aim of schools,” he said, “is naturally to scientifically train men in forestry, and in addition to give them the full practical knowledge of the subject, tn America, when the people, in the time of Roosevelt’s Presidency, first realised how valuable a knowledge of forest! y would be, and the necessity of specially trained mon in the subject, many schools sprang up,' and there was much enthusiasm. But the result of the mushroomschool was not a success, and gradually the nation realised the value of concentration, as there were not enough jobs for the men sent out from the schools, some ,of them incompetent and halltrained. ... The universities in the United States have taken up the matter and Yale, Mnddison (Wisconsin) and other universities are introducing forestry schools into their curriculum There are now three or four big schools in America.” , Could there be a forestry school established in New Zealand? asked the inte“Most assuredly,” said Professor Wib son, “and there seems to be a pressing need for one. The type of men required should know local conditions, and should be trained in New Zealand. The could easily be one central school °f forestry in New Zealand, where a course could be. gone through for aspirants to the forestry service. In . ca , s rangers, there might be established two depots; one in the North Island, and one in the South. . . The need for foresters is pressing, as for its size, New Zealand has been responsible for an enormous amount of forest destruction. The Arboretum System. The professor explained the exact definition of an arboretum. It is really a tree museum,” he said, where all species of trees are planted, and experiments made on all manner of exotic and native trees. In the arboretum-in one such as the Arnold, which was established in 1873—different varieties of trees Hare grown in close proximity to one another, and the rates of growth and various characteristics compared." The Arnold Arboretum, he continued, was instituted primarily for the purpose of studying and cultivating every wooded plant for the benefit of Massachusetts. Tho area of the institution is 2.50 acres, on which, beside the plantations, there is a fine building, and a library containing 34,000 volumes, “one of the finest libraries of its type in the world, added Professor Wilson. “There is also a herbarium on the property, in which are contained dried specimens of plants, for scientific purposes. . - • The work done at the institution is merely research, and there is no teachii*? done by the stall, although post graduate students attend. All kinds of plants and trees are there Eorest flora from North Amei- , ica Europe, Siberia, South America, ■ China, and Japan are among the specimens; and I am making my present trip in order to obtain a knowledge .of the trees of New Zealand, Australia, the Malay Archipelago, and South Africa. . .’ I am extending my research to every class of tree in New Zealand, and not merely confining it to the well-known trees such as the kauri or totara. Every little tree counts!” Wastage in New Zealand. “Strict conservation of forests is needed here immediately,” said Professor Wilson, “and the work of Hie Forestry Department should be assisted as much as possible by those benefiting; indeed b.v all who can by example and precept, render any help. Here, just as in North America, forests are being exhausted. While one could burn down a forest in three weeks, or a month, the process of rebuilding would take from 80 to 100 years. Why denude the country of its timber? Tlfe result is nothing but land-spoiling and weed-grow-ing, for bracken and noxious weeds grow better nowhere than on old forest countlp'rofcssor Wilson continued by asserting that land deprived of forest growth began to “slide down to the sea.” He added: “You can’t take away forests with impunity. Once the trees are gone, the rich soil is washed away, so soon as the watersheds are uncovered. A palpable example is to be seen in the northern part of this Island, near the Kaipara harbour. In parts of the Kaipara River the deposits of sediment are so thick that in a cup of water taken from the river there is over a third of an inch of soil! That ie why 1 say don t let New Zealand go out to sea by ruthlessly destroying its forests! “People, by having to pay high prices for it, are realising the value of timber.” concluded Professor Milson. ’Forests represent an important item in the natural growth of a country. Doubtless the trouble in the past has been due to the absence of forest survey before land alienation, and the reckless burning on indulged in by settlers and landed farmProfessor Wilson will leave for the south shortly, and will be accompanied by the Director of Forestry in New Zealand (Captain L. Mackintosh Ellis). He will visit the extreme portions of the South Island, and will go, probably, to •Stewart Island before returning to Wellington.