A CITY ASSET

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 71, 24 March 1920, Page 9

A CITY ASSET

DAY'S BAY BUSH TRACKS AND: FIRE PRECAUTIONS. Whatever may be heard in homely criticism, no stranger coming to Wellington would be likely to say that this city is ill-provided for in outlying reserves. A few days ago reference was made to the attractions of Wilton's Bush. <for those who do riot c&Te. to go far away from the city. Of a different nature are the charms of the Day's Bay Bush, and familiar are they to tho majority of the people of Wellington: It ' is well, therefore, for those citizens who- take pride in their civic possessions to know that the two important duties which fall to city authorities as custodians of the . people's reserves—that of safeguarding them from destruction, and of making their attractions easily' available to the public—are being duly fulfilled. The Day's Bay reserve comprises 856 acres of bush—64o acres, the property of the City Council by purchase,, and 216 acres of Education- Reserve, leased from the Government. The bush is mostly birch of different varieties, .and splendid specimens indeed are some of tHe species found there, especially on the higher levels, but rimu, rat a, and tawa are also to be found In the past the menace from fire has been a source of anxiety, but as no survey to give an exact delineation of the city boundaries had been ma-dc, it was impossible to ring the bush with fire, lines. About eighteen months ago this survey was undertaken, and now the Director of City Reserves, Mr. J. G. M'Kenzie, has the protective work well under way. The menace in the past has been chiefly from the seaward side where, denuded of trees, inflammable gorse and small ti-tree have sprang up. It is here, also, that the majority of the residences are, \tfhich always provide a source of danger. Precautionary measures have been started here, and now a track 10 feet wide, with scrub cleared bacl£ L to a 1 chain's width, has been run for a considerable distance along the boundaryline. This girdle will be continued along the top of the ridge at the back of the. bush, down Gollan's Valley, and back down the western boundaries of the reserve. This is a very considerable undertaking, and keeps, five - men employed. To thus protect the bush from fires, which may be started on adjoining proparties, is the first undertaking. When that is completed, attention will be paid to interior precautions to prevent any fire which may start within the reserve from This danger will be overcome by extending the present .tracks and. cutting others—cutting them well into the subsoil-Hso that fire.: which, mi birch country, "creeps" through tho leafy and fibrous mat .which covers the ground, ready at any' time to be fanned into flames, will be effectively stayed. Jft the same time these tracks will provide an easy means of access to the prettiest recesses of the bush, and, yeb again, they will enable the custodian, Mr. W. H. Dick, and his workmen to travel rapidly; should fire break out, to any threatened part of the reserve. The custodian has a horse always ready for this purpose.

It has been advocated 1 that the bush should be divided into isolated squares on the American bush reservation principle. .The suggestion has been that there should be either 64 of these squares —10-acre lots—or even 128 of them (5acre lots): ■ -But Mr. M'Kenzie, who has many years' experience of' the native bush, is of opinion that this would mean the ultimate destruction of the. birch, which will not withstand the withering effects of the heavy winds which sweep across the ridges and down the valleys. Mr. iffKenzio points to the effects ai the high northerlies on the westerly edge of the bush, which is withered and rapidly falling back. He contends that the policy he is adopting will provide ample safeguards, and often at the same time preserve, virtually untouched, the virgin charms of the bush. The edges of the broad fire lines and the interior tracks will be planted with the fireresisting konini and karaka trees. As further precaution, and at the same time for beautification purposes, ,' the denuded, gorse-covered outer slopes will be planted with imported trees. A number of these, chiefly wattle, have already been planted and are flourishing sturdily. . ■ Many people have followed the bush tracks a few hundred feet up. To reach the top is rather a toilsome holiday undertaking, but the magnificent view is well worth it. A good track runs all the way, and follows along the ridge overlooking the valley at the back. On oneside a delightful sea-scape, and on the other a magnificent panorama of) a wild bush-clad jumble of receding hiUs, stretching for several miles. The air at the thousand feet elevation is cool and bracing, 'and tlie character of the vegetation on the receding slopes of Gollan's Valley offers a strange contrast to that of the seaward side. When the scheme'of improvement is completed, acd the tracks cut in easy gradients, the full attractions of this magnificent city asset will be easily available to all.