DOMINION’S FOREST HERITAGE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 88, 12 January 1928, Page 8

DOMINION’S FOREST HERITAGE

EXQUISITE BEAUTY OF WAIPOUA • SILENT ARGUMENT FOR PRESERVATION Scenes of sylvan beauty in the Waipoua State Forest, North Auckland, and the magnificent area of native bush, the access-road to which will be formally opened this week, are described in an account of a holiday spent there recently by Messrs. V. F. Fisher, J. R. Crosby, and R. V. Shepherd, of Auckland (says the "New Zealand Herald”). The partv from a camp on the banks of the Waipoua River, in the vicinity of the headquarters of the Forestry Department’s officers, made a number of excursions into the bush. Once off the forest road to Waimauku, the only paths were narrow horsetracks, often completely covered by undergrowth, and at times progress was made onlv by 'wading the stretches of the river through scenes of compelling grandeur. While the noble kauri "dominated the forest giants, the tall taraire with its white trunk was more plentiful, and at times rimu and totara, and at the lower levels Kahikatea formed the basis of the dense timber. King of the great kauris examined bv the party was one about 18ft. in diameter, the trunk rising straight as a gun-barrel from the ground until its contour was broken by the first branch -*Oft. overhead. Representing centuries of growth and a miniature fortune in timber-value, this "forest ancient” was in itself a silent argument for the preservation of the Waipoua belt. Here a climber gave an exhibition of the method adopted in recovering kauri gum from' the trees. Spiked boots on his feet, carrying a spike tool in his hand, and with a loop of rope over his shoulders, he climbed with amazing speed and apparently a minimum of effort. Native bird-life abounds among the bush fastnesses of Waipoua. Tuis, kakas, pigeons, moreporks, fantails, grey warblers, shining cuckoos, and other birds were heard 'and seen in the delightful environment of their natural habitat. Kiwis, too, are said to be fairlv plentiful in the forest, but the partv was not fortunate enough to meet with 'any. Ferns in infinite variety abound, lending an exquisite charm to the forest floor. The partv returned "with the impression that Waipoua is an asset not onlv of this generation, but a heritage of the Dominion for all time. .