No. recommendation on Paparoa region

Press, 26 May 1979, Page 3

No. recommendation on Paparoa region

Parliamentary reporter Members of the National Parks Authority had been unable to- reach agreement that the Paparoa-Punakaiki region met the criteria for a national park, said the chairman of the authority (Mr N. S. Coad) yesterday. “The authority will not, therefore, recommend that the Minister of Lands declare the area to be a national park.” he said.

I The authority had spent a (great deal of time and effort (in considering the proposal, (Mr Coad said. It had reiceived a tremendous amount of information on the proposal from both official and (private sources, probably more than it had received on any other national park proposals, .and had inspected the area.

In addition, the Department of Lands and Survey had produced a series of maps showing the values of productive, landscape and natural resources, and the effects of the report of the Officials’ Committee on West Coast reserves proposals. The Native Forests Action Council was bitterly dis-

appointed about the decision, said the group’s chairman in Christchurch (Mr G. D. McSweeney) last evening. In essence, the decision shut the door on any new national park forever, Mr McSweeney said. Mr Coad, in announcing the authority’s decision, said that it supported proposals for ecological reserves and other areas to be put under protective management, as recommended by the Officials’ Committee. The authority considered that these, together with existing areas zoned for protection, would -protect the values involved, except for some smaller areas, including some in the bed of the syncline. In addition, Mr Coad said] the authority recommended New Zealand reserve status for the land in the Punakaiki area, with the definition of boundaries to be further evaluated. He pointed out that New Zealand reserve status was one of the highest possible under the Reserves Act (1977) and referred to an area which the Minister of Lands considered protected values of national

and international signifi cance.

Mr Coad said the authority had also recommended that the balance of the Pa-iparoa-Punakaiki area should [be managed in such a way [as to preserve the undoubted j scenic and scientific values lit contained. The authority [was aware that the Forest I Service was preparing a management plan for land [under its administration [in the area. When that was released for public comment, Mr Coad said, the authority would make representations to the Forest Service to ensure that the values identified were protected adequately and the management of all lands of the Crown coordinated. The authority also strongly supported appropriate protective status for Porarari, Saxton and Tiropahi ecological areas, and their management within that protection, he said.

The authority realised that some resources of great value were outside existing and proposed protected areas, and believed they should be protected in ah appropriate way.

In particular efforts should be made to ensure that the unprotected areas of the Nile River caves system and the catchment and the black petrel colony were protected, Mr Coad said. Mr McSweeney said that much of the heartland of the proposed park was now open for logging. The New Zealand reserve status would only apply to a small area round Punakaiki. The authority’s other recommendations were - meaningless, since it lacked the statutory power to enforce them and it did not have any control over the land.