TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17784, 18 May 1921, Page 8

TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK.

PLANTING OF HEATHER OPPOSED. The value of New Zealand's National Park tvas referred to by Professor J. C. Johnson at a _ meeting of the Auckland University College Scientific Society, before which Miss Margaret Fitzgerald read a paper on "Forestry in New Zealand." There was one rule, he said, to be observed in connection with national parks, whether desert, alpine or forest, and that was " leave them alone." The parks might have attractions for ■"toifrists and well-meaning, if possibly mistaken people, with the best intentions in the world, might introduce what were considered to be improvements in the way of foreign plants and nninials. Such "experiments were always a risk,-.and might so change the balance of nature in the locality as t/> produce disastrous economic and scientific effects. Reference need only bo made to the introduction of the sparrow, rabbit, hawthorn, etc. He deplored the suggestion to plant heather, foxglove, etc., in the Tongariro National Park, which he considered one of the fascinating natural history regions in the world. 'Hie potentialities of this park for scientific workers wore imperilled for providing doubtful sport for tourists in a land teeming' with opportunities for sport in more natural and appropriate localities. ,