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REPORT. CHAPTER I.—GENERAL REVIEW. Forestry Prooress for the Year ended 31st March, 1928. General. A general review of the year's work shows a remarkable increase in the area planted, approximately 35,000 acres of new plantations having been created, which constitutes a record in this respect and brings the total area of State-owned exotic forest plantations to 133,997 acres, exclusive of areas forested by direct-formation methods which for the year aggregated 2,600 acres. In other respects progress has been well maintained, although sales of trees and seeds were not so extensive as during the previous year, nor did the total revenue receipts equal the 1926-27 figures. Stale Afforestation. In pursuance of the policy enunciated in previous reports, further substantial areas of poorquality lands in Rotorua, Nelson, and Canterbury-Otago regions were acquired for afforestation, and planting was commenced at Golden Downs plantations—the initial State-afiorestation project in Nelson Provincial District. The afforesting of third-class and. deteriorated lands which have been found useless for settlement is a forward step, as by this means the waste lands of the Dominion, which at present constitute a breeding-place for noxious weeds and vermin, can be changed from a State liability to a valuable revenue-producing asset. It is hoped in time, by establishing local plantations, to secure for each province in the Dominion its own. self-contained timber-supply.

Comparison of Annual Tree-planting Operations in State Forest Plantations for Years 1921-28.

Graph Illustrating the Cost of Establishing One Acre of State Forest Plantations for the Years 1921-28. (Includes Trees, Surveys, Planting, &c., But not permanent improvements, i.e., Buildings, Fencing, &c.)