N.F.A.C. claim rejected

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 6

N.F.A.C. claim rejected

PA Wellington No plans were afoot to -resume logging in the Pureora State forest before the publication of a Wildlife Service study on the kokako (bluewattled crow) at the end of this year, said the Minister of Forests (Mr V, S. Young) yesterday. - The Native Forests Action Council had said that there were such plans. Mr Young . said the King Country draft regional management plan, which would be released soon, had looked at all the forest resources in the area, including Pureora. The Forest Service had outlined options which could be followed. These ranged from no logging at all at Pureora through to a maximum cut of about 3500 cubic metres, 5 per cent of. the volume being taken before the freeze on logging. If this last option were adopted the volume could be largely filled from dead or dying trees.

“Why. the Native Forests

Action Council should try to suggest the contrary totally mystifies me,” Mr Young said. “The Forest Service has been at pains to emphasise that these are options only, not recommendations, and it has said that it has no distinct preference for any one option. However, if the public is to have the opportunity to comment on the draft management plan, as is required by law, it surely must have adequate information and a range of options oh which to base those comments.” No Government or Forest Service moves would be made that would endanger the kokako’s habitat or inhibit the completion and publication of jthe Wildlife Service study. Most of Pureora is under a logging freeze to enable scientific study of the kokako, and this does not expire until the end of the year.