AFFORESTATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 25 October 1924, Page 6

AFFORESTATION.

WORK IN SCHOOLS. EXCELLENT RESULTS. Of recent years an ever-increasing 1 attention lias been given to lanning : work in the life of the seliool, and mucn good Ims resuited tliereirom. But ol ah j tne work of tins nature winch lias been I undertaKen, one ui the most useful anu 1 interesting additions has been tinu . wincli deals witn school gardens anci forestry. The feriner oi tne two schemes has resulted in much linpioveo and brighter school surroundings, ah of whicn has a distinct value to tlic young people, whether they are destined to become farmers or to remain town dwellers, tor it encourages a Love of tlie beautiful in nature and an excellent influence on character generally. The latter is a very important phase of education, especially to the youthful students who are to become farmers. Resides its educational value, it has a distinctly practical aspect in that a knowledge of forestry methods wifi be a decided acquisition to the outfit of a farmer. Carried into effect as the young students are taught, it will be in time a .source of profit that naturally will be a valuable asset on the farm, it has, too, another outlook which, though not perhaps quite so practical, has yet a value from a national point of view, which will be more and more evident in course of years. It is perhaps an ideal, and yet a very practical ideal; One' of the objects in the minds of the instructors and departmental officials is to so inculcate this love of trees and forests in the minds of the young that when they get their own farms they wili develop plantations on their land, ana so increase their interest in the farm that they will, like the fanners oi years ago, make homes of their farms, and consequently cut out in a large measure the unsettled? spirit that is sc prevalent of late years. As part of the afforestation scheme, the schools competition, inaugurated last year under the direction of Mr R. Syme, of the . Taranaki Education Hoard, in connection with the ’Dominion Winter Show at Hawera, has been of very great value, and has given an impetus to the working of the scheme which is freely acknowledged. h,y all interested. ' In this connection it is timely to quote a resolution of the Board at its last meeting:— “That the BoardKis in sympathy will, the movements of the State \Eorestry Service Department, and approves oi the inclusion of forestry lessor in the schemes of work or agriculture instructors, and will lend its support and co-operation in flirtliering this important branch of agriculture in the ■ schools.” The forest policy has fqr its objects—1. The conservation and reasoned I use of our indigenous fcrests. 2. The recognition of the principle pi New Zealand ferests for New Zealand 3. Tlie building up of a national forest capital sufficient to, supply whollj our timber needs. 4'. The conservation of the wild life of the forests. ' 5. The maintenance of protection forests at the head waters of our important streams and rivers. It is recognised that the dominant factor in accomplishing these objec tives is an active public support and appreciation of the aims desired. Tin “forest sense” can best He developer through the children. Proposal. (a) Providing each school ground with shelter trees. (b) Supplying each school with tree seeds for the propagation of trees- in the school gardens, the resultant tree stocks to be'-psed for the planting up of school grounds, school domains am. reserves. Residual stocks to he taken home by the scholars and planted ■ there. • (e) Providing suitable posters, leaflets, and other educational literature dealing with forestry, forests and wild life in New Zealand. • (d) Providing official assistance, instruction and advice in the carrying out of the school forestry programmes and the following up of results attained. (e) Providing of prizes, etci, in schools forestry competitions. (f) Advice and assistance of the Eoirest Service in co-operating with the Department of Education in securing suitable planting areas from the Lands Department. On the other hand the service would be grateful for the official recognition idea by 1. Elementary instruction in forest cult lire, the economy of the forest and trees, and in wild life their relation to the communal life.

2. Tli© setting up of competitions in schools in forest culture and activities. 3. The active encouragement of the formation of school plantations on.vacant reserves and domains controlled by the Education authorities. 4. Enabling the agricultural instructors of the 'Department to visit forest service operations at Rotorua, Hanmer Springs and Rangitikei Sand Dune Experimental Station and elsewhere. 5. General co-operation to achieve the desired objectives. The co-operation of the Department and Board instructors is most effective. In furtherance of the work, Mr P. M. Page., and Mr Darby, of the Department, went yesterday with Mr Syme on a visit of inspection to Ohangui School. This school, whose work is much helped hv the energy and enthusiasm of the headmistress, Mrs Sangster, were the fortunate winners of the Syme Shield this year. The work done there has been for several years marked by great thoroughness and efficiency. ‘ Short addresses were given by the two Departmental officers, in the course of which the objects of the scheme were traversed and much useful information given by Mr Page on the best trees to grow anch the most satisfactory methods to bo adopted. They then went, with the teachers :gid pupils, on a tour of the small area where are the seedling trees and those planted out. Each pupil lias care of one or more trees, and is taking a keen personal interest in ©nedavouring to secure the best results. Later the scheme will be extended, and pupils will, as soon as they have land prepared for the purpose, take seedling frees home to grow on the farm. They will thus, by giving the little trees careful attention acquire an ever-in-creasing interest in the work of the farm, and gradually the practical results of the scheme, ever widening in jits scope, will be achieved. The results 'of the work promise very great value. Its operations will he watched with very keen enthusiasm by a host of well-wishers all over the Dominion.