CARE OF FORESTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 74, 24 September 1936, Page 7

CARE OF FORESTS

WORK OF STATE SERVICE

"The indigenous forests and the exotic forests (plantations) controlled and managed by the State Forest Service are sufficient to ensure an adequate supply of timber for a century," said the Leader of the Legislative Council (the Hon. M. Fagan) replying to a question by the Hon. C. J. Carrington in the Council yesterday. "It is not the policy of the Government to sell timber'in, protection forests (i.e., forests on high country) that are necessary to regulate stream flow and prevent erosion of the soil. Applications for timber cutting rights in such forests are received frequently, but are not granted. It can therefore be stated definitely that State forests 2000 feet or more above sea level are not being destroyed by sawmillers and settlers.

"The action taken by the State Forest Service to protect and rejuvenate the indigenous State forests is general silvicultural management, which comprises regulation of cutting, protection from fire, exclusion or destruction of grazing and browsing animals, protection of birds, underplanting, and necessary entomological and mycological work. Tree felling and underplanting operations in State forests are supervised by the State Forest Service.

"The Government is undertaking scientific investigations and experiments, and has approved of working plans under which the kauri forests v'ill be perpetuated and the supply of kauri timber to the markets properly regulated."