Whirinaki logging slated by Govt backbencher

Press, 2 August 1979, Page 3

Whirinaki logging slated by Govt backbencher

PA Wellington A Government backbencher yesterday criticised the Forest Service for its defence on Tuesday of its controversial logging policy in the Whirinaki State forest near Rotorua. Dr I. J. Shearer (Hamilton East) said the service had failed to explain why tfie selective logging trial was being carried out in the middle of the finest piece of native forest in Whirinaki. In April the service announced a 10-year plan for the podocarp forest, which contains native trees such as matai, rimu, arid totara. The management plan Is still open for submissions but in the meantime selective logging is taking place, partly to maintain contracts for the sawmill at the small township of Minginui. The Wildlife Service, the Royal Forest ana Bird Protection Society, the Federation of Mountain ■ Clubs, the Deerstalkers’ Association,

the Environment and Conservation Organisations, and the National Parks Authority all want the service to reconsider the logging. The Deputy DirectorGeneral of Forests (Mr A. Kirkland) said on Tuesday the service was confident that modem methods of managing New Zealand’s indigenous forests would lead to their conservation.

On the basis of logging trials at Whirinaki forestry officers were confident it would be possible to log forests of that type in a way that would not lead to their deterioration but would rejuvenate them. The Director-General of Forests (Mr G. M. O’Neill) said selective logging would remove only ageing trees, mainly those that were soon going to die from natural causes.

Dr Shearer said yesterday that the “all-out, no holds barred” attempt to whitewash present logging had failed completely.

“They failed to explain why the logging trial was sited right in the middle of the finest piece of lower dense podocarp forest in Whirinaki,” he said. “They failed to explain that these trees, which the Director-General of Forests says are ‘in decline,’ are 1000 years old, have probably been ‘in decline’ for 400 years and, if allowed to, will continue to be ‘in decline’ for another 400 years.” Dr Shearer said the Forest Service had not explained why it had started logging well before seeking public opinion on logging in Whirinaki through the release of its management plan. “They failed to explain that with a 20 per cent logging programme up to 50 per cent of the forest may be destroyed as a result of root damage, limb damage, and windthrow.”

The service had also not explained why logging of exotic trees for Miriginui could not be started quicker.