Electricity and the envionment

Press, 15 June 1978, Page 24

Electricity and the envionment

Move's to preserve the beauty of the New Zealand countryside don’t come only from organised conservationists. Mr R. C. Western, manager of the West Coast Electric Power Board, in Greymouth, and member of the Westland National Park Board, is responsible, among- other things for the installation of power lines in his area. He has made it a personal commitment to see that these functional but sometimes ugly objects do not detract from the beauty of the West Coast scenery.

He says, “In the West Coast Electric Power Board’s area there are more scenic reserves than in the whole of the rest of New Zealand. There is one complete national park and parts of two others. Add to these the high quality of scenery generally and it is not surprising that we regularly encounter environmental problems.” One recent problem was a power line that was needed in a remote farming area, where a direct route traversed three scenic reserves. “After a great deal of discussion and negotiation, agreement was reached and the line was built around one reserve, across the corner of a second where it was out of sight, and through the centre of the third,” says Mr Western. Such decisions rest not only with the power board. The Landa and Survey Department controls scenic reserves and administers national parks, and permission must be obtained from the department to build power lines in a scenic reserve, but this is unlikely to be forthcoming without the agreement of the Nature Conservation Council. In the case of a national park the initial approach is made to the National Park Board which operates under the chairmanship of the district Commissioner of Crown Lands. A park board cannot give its approval without the consent of the National Parks Authority and the Nature Conservation Council. Mr Western feels there is now a strong rapport between the West Coast Electric Power Board and the local authorities involved with scenic reserves and parks.

He feels that members of the engineering profession should have a meaningful say in the shaping of environmental legislation, and says, “This can only be achieved by displaying a real interest in environmental problems, by working- with rather than against conservation groups, and by respecting our environmental protection system, which, with all its faults, is moving in the direction we must fol-, low.” Gloria Curin, warden of the Greymouth Youth Hostel, with two American hostellers.