EDITORIALS Arbor Day: Plant Native Trees

Forest and Bird, Issue 105, 1 August 1952, Page 2

EDITORIALS Arbor Day: Plant Native Trees

THE chief glories of New Zealand have been our forests and unique bird population. Both these are now so gravely threatened that unless concerted effort is made to check destruction and to regain some of the ground already lost, New Zealand will no longer be the real New Zealand that we have known. It is the duty of the present generation to make the effort, so that future generations may enjoy the old-time glory of our native forests and birds. There, are many ways that this can be done. The major work of destroying introduced animals such as deer, goats, pigs, and specially opossums is such a herculean task that it can only.be done by the Government. This task, we are glad to say, is being vigorously carried out by the authorities. Replanting indigenous trees on a large scale is. also necessary, and the Forest Service is, at last, making a definite move in this direction, according to its last year’s Annual Report. But we must not just “sit back” and leave it to Government Departments we can all help even if only in a very small way. “Every mickle makes a muckle”, so the cumulative effect of small efforts would be of tremendous value. What is the problem? It can be put in a few words. How to increase our forests by planting native trees and the under-growth so essential to their welfare, and thus encourage the increase of the native birds which are so necessary to keep the bush free from insect pests and help by continually distributing the seeds and pollen. A huge task, but as we have said, one that can be helped by the efforts of all nature lovers. Arbor Day was set aside many years ago as an annual occasion on which trees are to be planted. It is observed with some ceremony, children are encouraged to take part, and are told by speakers how important tree planting is. Unfortunately too many Arbor Days have been observed by planting exotics. We have always protested against this and have urged the vital importance of making it an occasion for planting native trees or shrubs but not always successfully. Those very valuable organisations, the local Beautifying Societies, can do a great deal to help in the work of restoring our native vegetation. It is very encouraging to see that several of them are pursuing this policy. The need is so urgent that we feel it would be worth while for them to hold a Conference of their Societies and get them all to adopt the plan of concentrating on planting “natives”. In doing this some knowledge of the trees’ habits, etc., is necessary to see that they are planted in a suitable position to allow for subsequent growth. Also provision must be made for aftercare to protect them from overgrowth of the vegetation and especially from damage by irresponsible and careless people and browsing animals* Some “natives” planted m the past have been too often left to look after themselves and simply died out. It should be remembered that one reason why our forests are deteriorating is the loss of native birds which helped them to exist, therefore it is of paramount importance to build up our bird population. The felling of so much bush has depleted the food on which the birds depended, therefore by planting .suitable trees and shrubs we should provide a new supply of the food they want and so enable them to increase in numbers and spread over the country to resume their important work in the remaining forests besides being a constant joy to bird lovers.

BIRD LOVERS! Make this August a tree-planting month. Plant kowhai, flax, manuka, ngaio, rata or pohutukawa.