SOIL EROSION

Evening Star, Issue 24008, 6 October 1941, Page 6

SOIL EROSION

RESULTS OF SOUTH ISLAND SURVEY! ACCELERATION OVER BIG AREA (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 6. Mr Sullivan, Minister of Scientific and Industrial Research, to-day made reference to the extensive soil erosion survey carried out by the Soil Survey Division of his department during the past six months, this survey covers an area of 8.500,000 acres of high runhold country extending from Queenstown in the south to the head of the Awatere River, Marlborough, in the north. The incidence and severity of accelerated soil erosion in this large area of country have been carefully surveyed. The survey has shown that, of the total area covered, soil is being lost by accelerated erosion on 4,600,000 acres. Included in the remainder are 2,100,000 acres of single slides in very elevated country, which have probably always existed. This leaves only _ 1,800,000 acres which are free from erosion. “ The results obtained from the survey,” said the Minister, “ and from other similar surveys will be of the greatest value in the study of the soil erosion problem in New Zealand and in framing measures to prevent and control, as far as possible, accelerated soil erosion, which is already making very serious inroads on the Dominion’s soil resources that are its greatest national asset.”