“Bias” on beech forest management alleged

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33091, 5 December 1972, Page 23

“Bias” on beech forest management alleged

The Forestry Development Council is concerned about what it says is bias that has entered discussions on proposals by the New Zealand Forest Service for South Island beech forest management.

The council believes that an incorrect impression that the major objective for the proposals is to fell beech forest and replace it with exotic species has been created in the public mind. At its meeting in Nelson recently the council emphasised theft a major consideration involved in the proposals wan the management of the forests in their entirety and it was important that this consideration was not submerged under a welter of conflicting views and arguments on the desirability or otherwise of converting a very small proportion of the total forest area to different species. Three major objections raised by the Nature Conservation Council on the proposals were discussed at the meettag. These objections are: The extent to which beech forest, after being felled, is to be converted to exotic forests and the possible damaging effects, both short and long-term, of such conversion on environmen-

tal values. The extent to which enrichment with exotic hardwoods may be resorted to after the felling of beech forests in areas where there is a doubt

that full and satisfactory restocking by beech regeneration will occur. The lack of scientific knowledge and research work as a basis for decisions on classification and zoning into management types of the forests in question. The New Zealand Forest Service has said that for any viable industry based on beech resources to become established a renewable resource must be created to sustain wood production for long-term processing at an economic level. It is undisputed that radiate pine can be renewed in 30 years or less, whereas beech will require four times as long. Figures supplied by the New Zealand Forest Service indicate that 5 per cent of the total forest land in the project areas — Nelson, Westland and Southland — will be possibly converted to exotic forest. As the total area to be con-

verted is approximately 400,000 acres, with about half of this in Westland, the Forestry Development Council considers that the area to be converted is not excessive in relation to the total area covered by the scheme. The council agrees with the Nature Conservation Council that a great deal more research and fact-find-ing on the fauna of the forests is necessary but feels that evidence that is available suggests no great cause for alarm that wrong decisions are made out of ignorance.

However, the council does not share the Nature Conservation Council’s fears about damage to the flora. It has been reassured by the comments reported by the Forest Service, from hydrologists, soil scientists,

freshwater fish experts and other experienced research officers, that by and large no significant threat appears to be imminent in their respective environmental interests. The continuing research effort that is to be implemented is fully justified, the Forestry Development Council believes, and it is confident that due heed will be given by the Forest Service to any results that may come from this research to indicate changes that should be made to management policies. The council is conscious of the conflict that can arise between the national interest and local interests in any proposals for utilisation of a national resource. But, it cannot be emphasised enough, it says, that wood is a renewable raw material. There have been arguments advanced on the form in which the wood to be utilised is to be renewed but, the council, says, there is no doubt that increasing the productivity of the land and renewing some of the resource with radiata pine, will lead to improved employment opportunities, improved volumes and values of regional output and increased growth rates for stable processing industries.

The council’s view is that the impact of the management proposals on the people most concerned—the local population — should be balanced against the arguments of the conservationists, to preserve some 400,000 acres of forest, a small part of the total area of 8,500,000 acres in forest in the South Island. The council supported a suggestion by the Forest Service that a booklet be prepared on forestry in New Zealand.

A letter from the DirectorGeneral of the Forest Service (Mr A. P. Thomson) said there was an urgent need to educate the public better in what forestry and forest management were about. This has been brought to a head by the present controversy to utilise .-.reas of South Island beech and, in Mr Thomson’s view, showed that there were large areas of ignorance and misunderstanding, even on the part of people and organisations who one would think were better informed.