SIXTEEN THOUSAND TREES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 57, 9 March 1946, Page 4

SIXTEEN THOUSAND TREES

AFFORESTATION SCHEME IN WANGANUI COUNTY COUNCIL FAVOURS PROPOSAL. An afforestation scheme involving the planting of at least 16,000 trees is to be undertaken by the Wanganui County Council. In agreeing to this, at yesterday's meeting the council authorised the engineer, Mr. R. R. Dawson, to report on practical methods of bringing the scheme into existence. The engineer reported on some of the areas he had inspected and thought suitable for planting purposes. On a basis of 800 trees per acre, he considered that about 20 acres be sufficient to commence with. The areas suggested by Mr. Dawson were 12 acres of the 20-acre block on the Makirikiri North road metal pit, which would grow only about 9000 trees, a one-acre section at the junction of the Parihauhau and No. 48 highway, 800 trees; an area on the Parihauhau roadside near the water trough giving 400 trees; between the road and river opposite the pa at Kaiwhaike road, 3000 trees, on the Kaiwhaike road, opposite Orton's, 2000 trees; on the Matarawa North road near Okoia, 300 trees; at Gilfillin’s Park, 600 trees; and at Matarawa Hill road, 500 trees.

“That will give us 16,000 trees for a start,” commented Mr. Dawson. “There are any amount of other places where trees could be planted, but we could investigate those later. “From the commercial point of view the areas I have suggested will be better than those further back," Mr. Dawson added. “I think the following up of the scheme will have beneficial efforts on the country and we should continue with it” commented the chairman, Cr. A. H. Collins, in congratulating the engineer on his report. What they would need to know first would be the cost and the availability of the trees so they would have some basis to go on. On the suggestion of Mr. Dawson it was agreed to co-opt expert advice from forestry officials on the best means of carrying out the afforestation scheme and the various aspects to be taken into consideration, such as the type of trees, spacing, clearing, etc. ..