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CHAPTER lII.—CONSTITUTION OF STATE FORESTS 27. Changes in Area and Status—As a result of the continuation of land reclassification throughout the Dominion, 63,388 acres were set apart as permanent or provisional State forest and 3,451 acres were withdrawn from State forest reservation during the year, a net increase of 59,937 acres. The area under State forest reservation now totals 9,227,545 acres, representing 13*9 per cent, of the total land area of the Dominion. Of this total, 6,262,276 acres are permanently reserved, comprising 67*86 per cent, of the total State forest area. Areas of provisional State forest totalling 10,234 acres were permanently reserved as State forest. The areas withdrawn from State forest reservation comprised 2,925 acres for vesting in the Nelson City Corporation for water-supply purposes, 384 acres for settlement, and 142 acres for scenic reserve. CHAPTER IV.—FOREST MANAGEMENT 28. Surveys.—Boundary surveys of 198 areas totalling 18,828 acres were carried out by conservancy staffs in connection with timber appraisals ; and timber reconnaissance surveys of 9 areas covered 5,458 acres. Topographical surveys of exotic forests were made covering 99 acres, and forest-type surveys, 231 acres. Topographical surveys for the purpose of industrial, village, and housing sites covered 583 acres. A total of 3,196 plots representing 849,000 acres (300,000) of forested country were surveyed for the purposes of the national forest survey by the Forest Experiment Station. 29. Mapping. —During the year, the conservancy and head office survey draughting staffs were increased by the addition of several junior draughtsmen and draughting cadets, and it is hoped to subsequently build up a staff adequate to carry out the mapping requirements for the expanded programme of the Forest Service. In connection with current operations, 2 stock maps were redrawn and 26 copies of stock maps prepared, 24 forest atlas sheets were renewed, and 55 new plans recorded. The library of aerial photographs was enlarged during the year by the addition of 3,666 prints and 7 mosaics, and now contains a total of 9,860 photographs and 56 mosaics. Twelve mosaie copies were obtained for the use of the conservancy offices. The work of delineating forest-type boundaries on aerial photographs for the national forest survey has been continued by the Forest Experiment Station. A total of 2,859 aerial photographs was received during the year, making a total of 6,629 held by the Station, these being included in the total mentioned above. The work of compiling the forest-type maps is being undertaken by the Aerial Mapping Branch of the Lands and Survey Department, but only 3 maps have been completed to date. 30. Forest Mensuration. —The following table shows the number of areas and the quantity of timber cruised by conservancy staffs in connection with appraisals for the sale of milling timber :

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1946-47. 1947-48. Tenure. Number. Quantity. Number. 1 j Quantity. ! Bd. ft. Bd. ft. State forest 129 116,697,000 160 121,532,000 Maori-owned forests ■ 22 43,567,000 24 54,239,000 Other 19 7,756,000 14 6,295,000 Totals 170 168,020,000 198 182,066,000