Milling on Coast

Press, 10 November 1986, Page 20

Milling on Coast

Sir, —Messrs Round and Hemsley have kindly confirmed, for your readers, my comment of October 30 on the “well-meaning but naive utterances from preservationists” when they claim that only 10 per cent of Coast forests are reserved. Dr Alan Mark, the president of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, states that 90 per cent of lowland forests on the Coast are being protected. End of debate. I can assure the preservationists that the West Coasters happily tolerate the isolation and weather of this region. To have to tolerate the bieatings of those who are not prepared to live here is a bit too much. — Yours, etc.,

JOHN BURFORD. November 7, 1986.

Sir, —Replying to the fantastic claim that 90 per cent of the Coast’s forests are in reserves, I wrote that the figure was nearer 10 per cent. Mr Hopkins (“The Press” November 7) admits this (National Park and Lands and Survey reserves 14.3 percent, and State Forest Ecolfecal

Areas), but suddenly changes the rules. He wants to add in riverbeds and mountain tops and steep hillsides set aside for water and soil protection. These are not reserves. They are rugged places which I imagine even Mr Hopkins would be reluctant to use for forestry. Lowland forest is entirely different, and is severely under-represented, in existing reserves. Mr Hopkins must accept the Coast’s character. Enormous parts of it are simply no good for the vast industries he dreams of. Nature designed it, wet and remote, for a small population in a few valleys. — Yours, etc.,

D. J. ROUND. November 7, 1986.