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California Conifers Thrive in New Zealand Paul C California conifers thrive in New Zealand Paul C. Smith NewZealand, small and isolated in the (Pinus muricata), and shore pine (Pinus ing). During the early stages of the rotation, South Pacific midway between the equator contorta var. contorta). New Zealand two or three precommercial thinnings and the south polar icecap, consists of two occupies the same latitudes south of the reduce the stocking to about 80 crop trees major islands and a much smaller third one equator as those occupied by California per acre. As a result, the average crop tree totaling some 103,000 square miles. The and Oregon in the northern hemisphere. size at harvest is 25 inches d.b.h. (diameter North Island is geologically younger, with This location, coupled with the country’s at breast height) and 120 feet tall. Volumes soils of volcanic origin. Soils of the older marine climate, provides an ideal environ- from such a silvicultural regime can be South Island are granitic. The Southern ment for species drawn from California’s expected to yield as much as 7,500 cubic Alps, rugged backbone of the South Island, coastal forests. Today, exotic forests feet per acre. rise abruptly from sea level to more than account for 80 percent of the country’s The initial stocking density minimizes 12,000 feet in less than 20 miles from the wood supply, providing raw material for branch diameter size and reduces pruning west coast. the sawmilling, plywood, and papermaking costs. Pruning operations, called “lifts,” The population is slightly more than 3 industries. may be applied as many as four or five million people and 60 million sheep. The The most successful of these has been times during the early stages of the rotation strongly agricultural economy includes a Monterey pine, which occurs naturally in and may reach a total height of 36 feet on thriving forest products industry that today California in only three separate areas crop trees. The resulting increased quality, exports over $100 million worth of wood along the central coastline within 125 miles New Zealanders feel, makes their timber products annually and is growing. of each other. The species has never become products more competitive on the export Such was not always the case. English a commercially important timber tree in the market. settlers, beginning in about 1840, cleared United States, mainly because of its limited Monterey pine has also played an impor- native forests for agriculture, removing occurrence and unimpressive quality. How- tant role in minimizing severe erosion con- large areas of the podocarp and beech trees ever, because of its outstanding and almost ditions - for example, in the East Cape that had originally covered two-thirds of continuous growth rate and its adaptability region of the North Island. During the late New Zealand. By the 1900s, with a timber to most of New Zealand’s soil and climatic 1800s large areas of this steep, rugged dis- shortage imminent, and because of the slow conditions, Monterey pine is the keystone trict were cleared of native forest to provide growth and recovery of native species, gov- to that country’s exotic forest plantation pasture and grasslands for sheep and cattle. ernment foresters began to look for suitable program. In addition to its value as a timber The unstable soils contain a high percent- non-native (exotic) species upon which to crop, the species is used in erosion control, age of bentonite mudstones, argillites, and build a forest products industry. dune stabilization, and agro-forestry pro- rnontmorillinite clay, and rainfall ranges Among the many exotic species intro- grams on private lands. from 50 to 100 inches per year depending duced by early settlers were a number of Rotations of 25 to 30 years are generally on the elevation. Whole slopes - as much conifers native to California, primarily employed throughout the islands. Approxi- as 80 to 100 acres - have slipped off and Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), Douglas-fir mately 900 Monterey pine seedlings are disappeared down the major river drain- (Pseudotsuga menziesio, bishop pine planted per acre (about 6- by 8-foot spac- ages. Erosion in all forms from sheet wash 4 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE. AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1980 to earth flows and landslides has filled the poplar are still being planted under special drainages with soil and rock, causing severe circumstances. Of the area reforested to and frequent flooding downstream. date, more than 62 percent is under Mon- By 1950 the situation in the East Cape terey pine, 22 percent Douglas-fir, and 7 had become a national problem, causing percent broadleaf species. the Forest Service to initiate a reforesting Monterey pine is also being employed for program on 14,000 acres of the most seri- dune stabilization on the Aupori Peninsula ously disturbed areas. The main species at the north end of the North Island, which used in the program, which is being is primarily a sand spit 7 miles wide and 50 expanded to include almost a quarter of a miles long jutting into the South Pacific. To million acres, has been Monterey pine. Les- stabilize the shifting sands and increase the ser amounts of Douglas-fir, Corsican pine productiveness of the area, the New Zea- (Pinus nigra), and some broadleaf species, land Forest Service is developing forested namely poplars (Populus spp.) and euca- barriers along the southwestern coast of the About 1,200 seedlings per acre are lypts (Eucalyptus spp.), were also employed peninsula. planted in the protection zone to achieve at the outset. Initial stocking levels called First, the Forest Service plants rootstocks fast crown closure over the area. The re- for 900 trees per acre for the pines and of marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), a maining areas are stocked at a standard 1,200 per acre for the fir. sand-binding beach grass also used in 6- by 8-foot spacing, or 900 trees per acre. Monterey pine is now being planted at northern Europe to hold barrier dunes Final stocking of crop trees will amount to closer spacings than before to ensure earlier along the coast. After one year lupine is about 150 per acre in the protection zone crown closings, lighter branching, and a sown, and trees are introduced two to three and 80 to 90 per acre elsewhere. better selection of crop trees when thinning. years later. The developing tree roots bind A third undertaking in which Monterey Final stocking is carried at 150 stems per the soil and protect the surface from wind pine is widely used because of its rapid acre. Douglas-fir plantings have been cur- erosion. The leading edge of the plantations growth is agro- or farm-forestry. This con- tailed because of the species’ slow growth is about 200 to 300 yards from the ocean. cept of multiple land use, which combines rate; greater numbers will be used as areas Zones, each 220 yards wide and parallel timber production with that of grazing live- stabilize. Corsican pine plantings have been to the shoreline, have been delineated with- stock on the same area, is being widely suspended altogether, but eucalypts and in the forested areas. The one closest to the tested throughout New Zealand and many shore is designated as protection forest. No parts of Australia. cutting is allowed except for salvage opera- Seedlings are planted 6 feet apart in tions. The second, 220 yards inland, is the widely spaced strips on established pasture protection-production forest in which land. Spacing between these rows ranges limited harvesting is permitted. All remain- from 15 to 25 feet and amounts to 300 to ing stands over 440 yards from the beach 500 trees per acre. One or two years after area are production forests, managed under planting, when the trees are 4 to 7 feet tall, normal procedures. sheep can be safely introduced into the Above: Stand of 30-year-old Douglas-fir in Canterbury Plain survived 105-mile-an-hour winds that destroyed Monterey pines. Top right: Sand-bipding marram grass is planted first to stabilize dunes on Aupori peninsula, North Island. Monterey pine will be added in three or four years. Right: Entire slopes have slipped down the river drainage at the Tarndale Slip in the East Cape, North Island. Monterey pine has been planted to control further erosion. CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE, AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1980 5 Studies conducted by the Forest Research problem for other exotics. The Forest Pro- Net Productive Stocked Exotic Forest Area Institute (F.R.I.) at Rotorua in recent years tection Division of F.R.I. is testing it for Forest Area Percent I have shown that blue bishop, when grown possible use as a control measure in trouble- 1,000 acres on low-altitude sites (1,000 to 1,800 feet in some avalanche areas of the Southern Alps. Species elevation), was on the average 16 percent Trials have shown that seed from low- Monterey pine 1,297 82 Doua las-f i r 116 7 shorter than Monterey pine at ages 25 to 35 altitude (coastal) California Douglas-fir Other species 168 11 years. In a comparison of 45-year-old grows best under New Zealand conditions. Total 1,581 100 stands, blue bishop was also 15 percent Of the seven superior sources selected, five Ownership lower in volume. But on high-altitude sites are from California: four from north coast N. 2. Forest Service 928 59 (2,000 to 3,000 feet) bishop was 23 percent sites, and one from the Santa Cruz area. Industry 457 29 taller than comparable Monterey stands. In a country where one can drive for Private non-industrial 156 10 Bishop pine is also believed to produce miles and see nothing but unbroken forests Other government larger volumes of wood at such elevations.
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