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Story: Conservation – a history

The impact of erosion

Video file

In the late 1940s and early 1950s the Soil and Rivers Control Council made several films to educate farmers about soil erosion. In this clip, W. L. Newnham, chair of the council, discusses the impact of erosion, and explains how tree planting can be used to stabilise land.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Chairman's speech on soil conservation. National Film Unit, 1950

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Simon Nathan, Conservation – a history – Soil conservation, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/13918/the-impact-of-erosion (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Simon Nathan, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 August 2015.