Most favour logging

Press, 30 August 1979, Page 17

Most favour logging

An overwhelming majority of people who made submissions are in favour of continued selective logging of native timber at Whirinaki Forest, says the Conservator of Forests for Rotorua, Mr John Ure. A total of 11,400 submissions were received, expressing opinions on the Forest Service management plan for Whirinaki Forest. Of these, 8600 submissions were in favour of the plan and were opposed to the forest being added to the Urqjvera National Park.

“There were 2800 submissions received which were opposed to the Forest Service’s management plan and in favour of the forest being included in the National Park,” Mr Ure says. The Forest Service management plan calls for 25 per cent of the indigenous forest to be used for selective logging production and for long-term forest management. The remainder of the 54,000 hectare native forest is zoned as ecological and recreational reserve,

forest sanctuary, and catchment areas. The boundaries of the reserves were approved by the Scientific Co-ordinat-ing Committee which sought the preservation of the best examples of forest ecosystems in Whirinaki. The closing date for submissions was August 17. No more will be considered apart from a small number from organisations who advised Mr Ure before the closing date that their submissions would be two or three weeks late.