Last minute plea for Buller reserves

Press, 23 June 1986, Page 9

Last minute plea for Buller reserves

PA Wellington The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society yesterday made a last minute plea to secure reserves in Buller, and to have the Conservation Department manage high country public lands. The society’s council unanimously reaffirmed its opposition to the Conservation department’s having any responsibility for native timber logging. The 100-strong council represents 48,000 members from 52 branches nationally. The society’s newlyelected president, Dr Alan Mark, urged the Government to keep its election promises on the Buller region.

“They must give legal protection to the natural treasures which have

been proposed for reserves such as the Oparara, Ngakawau, At-bara-Nile and the longpromised national park at Punakaiki.

“Sawmilling in the region must be reduced to the level of unsubsidised sustained yield and jobs safeguarded by encouraging alternatives such as tourism, especially by providing tracks and a visitor centre at Karamea,” Dr Mark said. The council unanimously supported efforts “to protect nature” in the publicly owned high country pastoral lease lands which make up 2.7 million hectares, or 10 per cent of New Zealand.

"It’s absurd to give the responsibility for these extremely important lands to a commercially minded Land Development Cor-

poration. Such a move would be an economic and environmental disaster.

’ “Many high country farmers know that is the case, and certainly the Minister of Conservation, Mr Marshall, believes the high country lands should be placed in the Stewardship Division of the Department of Conservation.

“However, an earlier Cabinet suggestion was the lands would go to the Land Development Corporation. Since then officials have shown such a move could be unworkable. Cabinet must now review its earlier suggestion,” Dr Mark said. Councillors feared the Conservation Department would become a “resurrected” Forest Service if it were involved in native timber production.