National Survey Of Rimu Forests

Grey River Argus, 28 June 1947, Page 5

National Survey Of Rimu Forests

CHRISTCHURCH, June 27.

An intensive national forest survey to ascertain the extent of the remaining indigenous forest resources is now being undertaken by the State Forest Service, and until it is completed no information is available on the future policy of rimu cutting. This reply was given by the Directoi’ of State Forest (Mr A. R. Entrican) to the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, which had made representations to the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation that several of its members were concerned at the possibility of a shortage of rimu in the future. Mr Entrican said there was no possibility of the accessible rimu forests in the South Island being exhausted in from ten to fifteen years. By that time rimu production would certainly be much less than it was to-day, probably not more than sixty per cent, of current cutting. This might be ac ause for regret; but it was not believed that timber using industries would be particularly embarrassed, because history affords ample evidence of the fact that as soon as one species be came unobtainable, alternative species could readily be adapted.

Mr Entrican said that the State Forest Service had brought a number of rimu forests under managament to preserve some rimu for future needs. This would be continued wherever practicable. The present rate of rimu cutting could not be sustained by any lengthy period, but because of the acute demand for timber of all pecies, including rimu, there was no posibility of the State Forest Service being able to make any appreciable reduction in the cutting of rimu in the immediate future. The secretary of the Manufacturer’ Association (Mr R. T. Alston), said yesterday that Mr Entrican’s reply was not encouraging. The mention of possible alternative species needed qualification, as rimu was the mainstay of the furniture and building industries. There was a definite fear of rimu supplies being exhausted over a period of time, and to a layman it appeared that they would be hard to replace.