FORESTRY -and land utilisation

Te Ao Hou, December 1960, Page 66

FORESTRY -and land utilisation Today, New Zealand's exploitable forest areas amount to three million acres. Of this the State owns some two million. These large stands of trees ensure an investment for future generations of New Zealanders in the form of a great and growing source of revenue. ‘Farm Forestry’, too, is a vital aspect of New Zealand's farming and forestry extension programming. Its objective is to make better use of poorer soil by turning it over to woodlots, as well as to improve the productivity of good soils by enhancing and extending existing shelter systems. While, today the area of all tenures on which farm forestry is in evidence is scarcely one million acres, more and more farmers are becoming conscious of the practical value of their own trees in providing fuel, fencing and home-grown timber for their properties as well as improving the production of their land. New Zealand's forest establishment currently stands at the increasing rate of 10–12,000 acres per annum. Recently, however, the proposal was made to step up this planting to some 20–30,000 acres annually. This expansion will not only guarantee supplies for New Zealand's own expanding future needs, but further our contribution to a growing world market for the produce of our carefully planned and expertly executed forest policy. Issued in the interests of forest protection by The New Zealand Forest Service.