Treeless Highlands

Where Afforestation is Needed

IT is a remarkable fact that in the I Central Highlands District of New Guinea, where there pr<pb ,bly is more need for afforestation ban in any other place in the South Pacific, there is no represent tive of the New Guinea Depart ient of Forestry.

As is well known, the forests have •een removed from these great alleys in the course of ages by the atives; and it is believed that this as affected the climate. Rain angs around the top of the ranges, 'here there is ample forest —often rhen there is no badly-needed rain i the valleys.

The need for afforestation is much i the minds of officials and ;ttlers. The natives are encouraged d plant trees, and seeds of suitable inds have been distributed. The atives obligingly have done their est—but they do not understand ie need for tending and watering ie young trees, and practically all ave perished.

Mr. James Taylor (former ADO nd one of the discoverers of the entral Highlands) is eager to en mrage afforestation and has estab shed a large plantation of hoop ine.

Lines of hoop and klinki pines lay be seen growing along the hill des above the District Office at oroka, under Mr. Downs’ jealous fe. Good stands of hoop and link! pines may also be seen grow ig near Goroka on the plantation : Mr. A. R. Lane—in fact all the ittlers in this area seem to be do ig their best to plant trees.

But what is needed is an effort i a national scale, co-ordinated id directed by the skilled men of le Forestry Department who, ider present conditions, appear to ve most of their attention to forestation in the Morobe District.

District Commissioner lan Downs is propagated thousands of hoop id klinki pines at Goroka, and he patiently trying to persuade the itives to take special precautions prevent the grass fires which kill ie young trees.