Okarito logging draws praise

Press, 21 July 1976, Page 5

Okarito logging draws praise

The Westland Catchment Board will write to the Forest Service and the contractors involved in logging the Okarito Forest, commending them on their logging methods and “the way they are preserving the environment.”

The board decided to do this at its meeting on Monday, after discussing a field trip members made to the forest last month. Mr S. M. Wallace said the Forest Service was doing a wonderful job. “The style of logging they are using, where they selectively log the area over a long period, is one that would be unique in New Zealand.” The board chairman (Mr G. K. Ferguson), said the Forest Service was using a new concept of milling on the West Coast and if it was

continued the prospects were good for local forestry. The exact area to be logged had not yet been decided, the board was told by Mr A. Cowie. He said the area would be kept clear of the skyline, so that the effects would not be visible 1 for the road or the Okarito lagoon. Mr W. R. O’Reilly said the beard was very concerned with the protection of amenity areas. “One area has been deleted from the logging scheme because it was visible from the road. The Forest Service has been given a very big area to log and it will take between five to 10 years before logging will be anywheie the lagoon. Logging will not be permitted within a 400 metre strip of the Okarito River.”