C—3.

TABLE 3. Summary of Areas added to State and Provisional State Forests, 1st April, 1933, to 31st March, 1934.

2. Protection Fokests. It lias been stated in previous reports and may, I think, with profit be repeated here, that the purpose underlying the legislation of 1918 and subsequent years authorizing the State to set aside areas as provisional State forests was that as time and opportunity permitted such areas would be carefully examined to determine their ultimate suitability for permanent reservation as State forests or their release for settlement under the Land Act, if and when the milling-timber thereon was removed This objective has been steadily pursued, with the result that the area of State forests is being slowly but surely built up, while, of course, a corresponding reduction must take place in the provisional State forest estate. Last year 74,150 acres were permanently reserved in this way, and although, owing to financial limitations and other reasons, this work cannot be completed for'some time, yet it will be continued to finality. (< , T^ e g rea t ; bu l k of this forest is of the " protection " type, and it is pleasing to record that a sound iorest sense in regard to the value of such forests is becoming more and more apparent throughout the -Dominion, due probably to some extent to the recent rapid growth of tramping clubs whose members obtain first-hand knowledge of the great service these forests render by the regulation and conservation of stream-flow, the prevention of rapid run-off, &c„ or, conversely, the great damage wrought by the destructive forces of nature on hilly country denuded of its forest cover—e q , erosion land-slides, <fcc., with the natural corollary, the silting-up of rivers and flooding of valleys. Too much emphasis cannot be placed upon the fact that the greatest natural enemies to the standing bush and forest regeneration are fire and browsing animals, and it may be regarded as a sine qua non that unless these two menaces are rigidly suppressed all efforts to conserve and regenerate our forests will prove futile. 3. Sorest Reconnaissance, Demarcation, and Surveys. Indigenous Forests. Forest Inventory.—The revision of the forest inventory of the timber resources of the Dominion has made steady progress during the year. The data have been obtained from office records timbercruismg, forest reconnaissance, and inspections by the field staff J^ feSt R T l las been confined to Wellington, Westland, and Southland ; 50,600 acres have been examined in detail. In the Westland Region a forest officer, by taking part m an aeroplane flight over Okuru and Jackson's Bay, obtained valuable data in regard to the resources ot those regions. Demarcation. Over 1,000 chains of State forest boundary-lines were cut and measured. Bush-tramway Surveys.— Some 800 chains of bush-tramways were located, and their positions nxed on the forest plans and maps. r Timber-cruising. • In State and provisional State forest 6,049 acres, containing 44 611000 ft board measure were cruised. Cruises of 5,377 acres, containing 55,662,000 ft. board measure were made lor other Government Departments and local bodies. Afforestation Areas. Topographical and Layout Surveys.-Over 14,000 acres of land were surveyed topographically and 19,000 acres were subdivided into compartments. Roads and Tracks.—Access roads for a total distance of 2,000 chains were constructed j The field staff located the position of 30,335 acres of newly planted area in order that the species may be shown in their relative position on the maps. Special Survey.—An inspection and survey were made and plans prepared of a private afforestation area m the Nelson Region containing 2,500 acres. The object of this investigation was to determine the area established m trees.

5

Indigenous Forest. Afforestation Land. Forest Conservation i _ ~ ; Region. State Provisional . State State Forest: J™™ ional TotaL Forest: State Forest: Forest . National State Forest: ° rdinary - | ° rdinar y- | Endowment. 0rdinar y- Endowment, 3*^. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Acres. Auckland .. .... . . 12 12 Rotorua .. j 137 .. .. 3 .' " Wellington .. .. 2,850 .. 31,138* 1,351* '' 35,339 Nelson ...... .. .. 2 2 Westland .. .. 134 499 .. .. 84 717 Southland .. .. 2,220 .. 58 2 278 Totals .. 137 5,204 499 j 31,213 1,351 84 138,488 , * Karioi Plantation.