More space for herons

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34156, 18 May 1976, Page 1

More space for herons

(By CEDRIC MENTIPLAY, our Parliamentary reporter)

WELLINGTON, May 17.

Further moves to protect the w’hite heron colony at the mouth of the Waitangi-roto River near Okarito have been announced by the Minister of Forests (Mr V. S. Young).

The sanctuary around the heron’s breeding ground will be extended by adding a further 1000 acres to the existing reserve. As well, the White Heron Colony Advisory Committee will make recommendations to the Minister on the width of the buffer-strip reserve around the shores of Okarito Lagoon. Mr Young visited the area last Friday. He flew over rhe Okarito State Forest, the Okarito Lagoon, and the mouth of the Waitangi-roto River. From a boat on the

Okarito Lagoon he looked at; the forest and the area of foreshore being considered for reserve. He also inspected, on foot, the selection logging in the forest.

The Okarito Lagoon, one of the feeding grounds of the white heron, is adjacent to the Okarito State Forest, but the white heron breeding ground at the mouth of the Waitangi-roto River is some distance from the logging area in a different watershed. The Minister said that what he saw convinced him that the Forest Service’s selection logging proposals for the area in no way threatened the future of the white heron colony. “However, because of the widespread concern, additional protective measures are being taken,” Mr Young said.

“I propose to extend the . present flora and fauna I reserve in the Waitangi-roto

catchment by adding approximately 1000 acres to the reserve area at present set aside as a sanctuary. “Second, I intend asking the White Heron Advisory Committee to make recommendations to me on the provision of an area of reserve around the shores of Okarito Lagoon. The advisory committee includes representatives of the Internal Affairs Department, the D.5.1.R., the Westland Acclimatisation Society, and the Lands and Survey Department. A representative of the Forest Service will be added to the committee.

“I am also proposing that the lagoon itself be designated as a reserve, and this matter is being taken up with the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Minister of Transport. “In addition, I have asked the Lands and Survey Department and the Forest Service to prepare jointly a plan for

land use objectives for southern Westland. This plan will include proposals for alternative boundaries for the national park, including a corridor of park from the sea to the mountains. “Suggestions for the use of the resources of southern Westland for indigenous forestry, national parks, forest parks, fanning, or exotic forestry will all be included in the scheme. This plan will be available for public comment, and in this way there will be full public involvement in plans for south Westland before final decisions are made.”

Referring to the selection logging, the Minister said that only 25 per cent of the timber would be removed from the forest every 50 years. This would allow the rimu to regenerate and make it possible to manage the forest for a continuing supply of indigenous timber.