NATURAL BUSH

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 36, 11 August 1927, Page 13

NATURAL BUSH

PROTECTION PROBLEM

"ARTIFICIAUSATION"

TWO VIEWPOINTS

In the course of a letter that opens up some interesting aspects of scenery preservation and bush conservation, "Independent" writes, concerning the Hutt basin scheme:—

"I regard the relinquishment of any part of the State forest reserves as the virtual betrayal of a sacred trust, and I further consider that such betrayal would endanger the scenic value of the forest either now or in the future. I consider that beauty, especially the beauty of those things that have been created beautiful apart from the agency ox man, plays a much more important part in our lives than most people bother their heads about; and that did it not still do so to some (though a compartively small) extent, in spite of human apathy, we should be in rather a bad way. "Looking round the world, especially in those now highly-civilised countries that once had fine scenic assets, one finds the beauties of Nature in olily too many instances exploited to their detriment. Forest lands everywhere are being roaded, cut up with firebreaks, supplied with" hotels, and regularly patrolled, and, although it is an excellent thing to make some of the wonderlands of the earth available in this way to those who lack the vigour and hardihood to see them otherwise, it is a great mistake to do as much as. is being done; and of course it is only as a business proposition that the world's scenic assets are being thus artificialised, to the eventual lasting detriment of humanity in general." WHICH PLAN PROTECTS? While most peoplo would, equally with "Independent," regret any step that would "endanger the scenic value of the forest," or exploit the bush to its detriment, can it be said that either of these undesirable effects will be promoted by changing tne status of the Hutt Basin bush from State forest reserves to reserves vested, for water supply and development, in a local body? It 13 to be expected that the State Forest Service would not acquiesce in such a transfer if it feared detrimental results. The process that "Independent" describes as artifieialisation, and in which he includes such provision as firebreaks, is considered by its authors to tend towards the protection, not the destruction, of the forest. If it is contended that inaccessibility is a better protection from fire than is artifieialisation (plus fire-breaks), how are the burned summits of two of the district's finest mountains (Kapakapanui and Marehant) to be accounted for? It seems to be unfortunately a fact that lire sometimes runs in the green bush even in this climate. Dealing with artificiahsation from another angle, "Independent" appears to admit that "some or the wonderlands of the earth" should be made available to thennathletic. If so, the question appears to become a matter of degree rather than of principle. Where should the line be drawn? Cannot a water supply and development local body bo trusted to draw the line as reasonably as anyone else? Cannot such a body be trusted to carry, out proper protective measures? Concerning the very arguable question of whether forest can be milled under fully protective conditions, "Independents' writes:— "The belief that not only, those parts set aside for the world's timber requirements, but' also some of the scenic reserves, can be partially milled and still retain their full aesthetic value, is a still more evil fallacy that I need not dwell on here. I venture to predict, however, that the time will come when those remaining tracts of natural forest, especially-when enhanced by mountain and river, where one can be utterly alone with his Maker, surrounded by purely natural scenery and entirely undistracted by any sign of human interference—l venture to predict, Sir, that such tracts will one day be of infinitely more value to posterity than ever the forest, the timber, or the land in a commercial way, are to us. ' "PURELY NATURAL STATE." "Many still arc the comparatively unexplored forest lands of the world, but if we consider the steadily-increasing world population, we must realise tho time is only too close when they will be utterly inadequate. It will be in New Zealand's interests, both from a business point of view and also for the future mental and moral welfare of tho community, "to exercise more foresight and retain as much of her natural bush country as possible in its purely natural state. The way in which civilisation lias so far artificialised mankind is already alarming those ' who make a study of such matters; aiid it is most ironical to hear the 'back to Mature' cry on every hand, and see the world ruining the works of Nature as xast as it can." It may be pointed out here .that tho Jrlutt Basin conservation scheme has °or its objective, just as "Independent-' has, the protection of the forest, but there js evidently a difference of opinion as to the means to the end. Our correspondent adds:— "In New Zealand these questions are closely affected by the immigration policy, but I will not 1 trespass further on your time by going into-the question here. Just imagine a- beautiful residence m beautiful grounds, with every necessity, but most pleasant and enjoy^ able also. If those who inhabit this desirable establishment dispense with •drawing-room, conservatory, etc., and cut down the size of their rooms, they can make it inhabitable by many niore inmates; _ and by intensive cultivation of the grounds instead of flower gardens, . shrubberies, etc., they can .make a turnover in & s. d. per person that is highly satisfactory. But would their monetary, gains -.compensate them for what they had lost? The population that will best enable our country to retain, its most desirable assets must not be too concentrated; and obviously that which will take the' greatest pride iv and derive the greatest benefit from JNiew Zealand's forest reserves, etc., will be it. population containing ;is' large as possible a percentage of true .New Zr;tlanders." , '