Conflict over reserves ’not surprising’

Press, 7 December 1978, Page 7

Conflict over reserves ’not surprising’

Greymouth reporter The report that opinion is divided in the Forest Service, about the size of West Coast forest reserves does not surprise the Conservator of Forests in Westland (Mr R. W. Redder). The Wellington reporter of “The Press” in an article on December 2 said that both Mr Pedder and the Nelson conservator (Mr P. W. Maplesden) had written to the Government’s Interdepartmental Sientific Co-ordinating Committee complaing that the proposed reserves were too big. The report said that the criticism from the conservators was “the last straw,” and the committee. with its Forest Service representatives to the forefront, strongly affirmed its intention to fight for all the reserve areas it has proposed. Mr Pedder has told “The Press” that his report was that of a ‘ practical forester.” as he believed that of Mr Maplesden was. “It is no different from normal. We are called to make a report, and we do it as we see it, as foresters. We are not making it as scientists, who have to report on other specialist aspects such as water, flora, and fauna.

"Much was said about the reserves during the seminar held in Hokitika, much of it from people outside the West Coast, and the scientific committee has asked for our views.” The Wellington report said that conservationists had criticised the committee for being too proForest Service in its proposals for the West Coast. Both the chairman and the

secretary come from the Forest Service. Mr Pedder said he could not see that that made any difference. The chairman. he said, was a scientist, although working for the Forest Service. The secretary, he said, would in all probability be a departmental official assigned to that task of recording the committees activities, and would probably not have a vote.