Whirinaki Forest

Press, 5 October 1984, Page 16

Whirinaki Forest

Sir,—Lack of past commitment within the Forest Service, and political pressure from the environmental lobby, are prime causes of the present parlous state of indigenous forestry. Mr J. C. Halkett, in a paper to the 1983 conference of the Institute of Foresters, referred to the former. “Research interest and commitment to silviculture and management of indigenous forests have not been satisfactory . . . factors such as the spectacular growth of exotic plantation forestry have caused major shifts in priorities.” With regard to the latter, departmental interpretation of the indigenous forest policy has played a major role in almost doubling membership of the Forest and Bird Society since 1976, and in transforming a rather elite passive society into a radical mass pressure group. Preservation and conservation are two sides of the same coin. Many reasonable. people would support Mr Halkett’s con-

servation, if his superiors had shown, or would even now show, more concern for preservation. The plan for Tongariro State Forest will not help. — Yours, etc., ERIC BENNETT. Wellington, October 3, 1984.