Concern over Marl. Sounds

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 24

Concern over Marl. Sounds

Wellington reporter A Wellington-based conservation group, Action For Environment, is con- . cerned about the scenic, recreational, and scientific values of the Marlborough Sounds, which it considers to be - an asset of national importance. . It has told the Minister of. Lands, Forests and the Environment (Mr V. S. Young) that it agrees with the Nature Conservation Council’s opposition to the' afforestation proposals for the Waimaru Recreation Reserve. The Sounds were suffering from an onslaught of exotic forestry causing drastic changes to scenery, to soils during site prepa-

• ration and logging, and to indigenous plant associates by self-sowing from plantations, said the group’s secretary (Mrs Helen Ranforth). The Marlborough Sounds Maritime Park Board had the expensive, difficult, and unending task of removing windblown exotics from its reserves. it should not approve actions which exacerbated this problem. Action for Environment believed that sufficient funds should be allocated annually by the Lands and Survey Department to cover • the Park Board’s deficit so that it did not have to resort to exotic forestry, she said. c