Conservationists 'must join planning’

Press, 17 April 1979, Page 2

Conservationists 'must join planning’

PA Nelson Delegates to the Native Forest Action Council’s annual conference in Nelson were told yesterday that conservationists must become involved in planning for regional development. ] Speaking during a seminar] on forestry, regional development and conservation, the chairman of the West] Coast Regional Development Council, Mr D. Truman, appealed to delegates to “work at the research and not at the newspaper sensationalism level.” “You must enter into, the] planning stages, otherwise] your credibility will be less-I ened,” he said. f Mr Truman predicted that!

i agricultural industry would supersede forestry in the res gion: a process which had to - be accompanied by an acceli eration in land improvement. I It would take three years ■ to bring down a regional ; policy for the West Coast,! !he said. In the meantime, it ’iwas vital that draft schemes] be introduced to prevent 1 , “land gobbling.” Mr Truman suggested the| : introduction of a morato-l - rium on certain areas which; : could be set aside but not! : gazetted while their future! was being studied. “I am not suggesting a] ((moratorium in perpetuity —] it could be a method of safe-1 (guarding areas for the comimunity and yourselves,” he Jsaid.