FORESTRY and people

Te Ao Hou, December 1960, Unnumbered Page

FORESTRY and people Future wood requirements and resources. By present rates of demand, it is apparent that this Dominion should undertake long-term programming of afforestation at the rate of 20–30,000 acres annually to meet local and export requirements. With explosive increases predicted in world population, New Zealand must budget for a minimum annual export forest surplus of 150 million feet of wood for the first quarter of next century, increased thereafter pro rata with population. On today's price levels 150 million cubic feet yields only about £50,000,000 in overseas exchange; so we cannot set our sights any lower if forestry is to make worthwile contributions to future export economy. Timber will play a major role in our future. It presents a long-term project which cannot produce immediate, spectacular results, but which forms the basis in the planning of New Zealand's perpetual forest policy. Forestry is forever Issued in the interests of forests protection by The New Zealand Forest Service.