DAMAGE TO BEECH FORESTS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 238, 9 May 1933, Page 3

DAMAGE TO BEECH FORESTS

EFFECT OF CATERPILLAR

Statements made in the Press, mon. particularly in the South Island incon nection with the damage to beech forests by a species of caterpillar were referred to by the Commissioner of State Jiorests, the Hon. E. A. Ransom. "A certain amount of publicity has recently been given to reports on caterpillar damago to mountain beech in tne Wakatipu district," said Mr. Ransom. "Thanks to the vigilance of the honorary forest ranger in that district, Mr. G. W. Reid, Glenorchy, the occurrence of the outbreak has been known to the State Forest Service since its early stages, and its progress has been carefully watched. The caterpillar responsible for it is one of the native leaf-rolling species, always present in indigenous forests. "During the past season, for some obscure reason, probably climatic (the summer in the south has been abnormally dry. warm and favourable to insect growth), the natural forest population of this species has far exceeded its normal bounds. The same phenomenon has been observed with certain other native species of insect previously innocuous to forest trees, although the damage accruing has been less spectacular and less visible to the casual visitor. "It is believed that with a series of normal seasons the normal balance of nature will be restored, and the only tangible damage from the visitation will be the loss of a season's increment in the infested beech forests, no very serious matter. Meantime, the importation of foreign parasites has not even been considered by the Forest Service, where considerable doubt is expressed as to both the feasibility and the advisability of making any such attempt in this case where the pest to be treated is an endemic species. Introduction ot parasites is usually confined to cases where the pest also is an introduced species. ■'Epidemic cycles of leaf rollers are a common phenomenon in pure hardwood forests in most temperate regions, and the present occurrence, though happily rnrc here, need not as yet cause any undue alarm, nor does it justify any exceptional expenditure. The affected forests will be watched annually hereafter for a few seasons, and if any untoward development occurs, consideration will be given to the possibility of adopting remedial measures."