Southland forestry

Press, 14 July 1987, Page 20

Southland forestry

Sir,—l was happy recently to revisit the forests of Mount. Harata. There the kaka still; roam, although not in the numbers my mother remembers. Our larger native birds need very large areas to maintain themand kskahave eventually ‘ disappeared from many reserves where they; Once lived. WeJhaJl never dine again on the kaka pie of my youth. Logging was stopped at Mount Harata last year after a possible sighting of’ the endangered yellowhead — and after prodding a reluctant Government. Yet in western Southland, the yellowhead’s headquarters, the public forests of Dean, Rowallan and Long- . wood are still being logged .(July 3). The Government has ('temporarily” allocated them to, the Forestry Corporation, which, continues the Forest Service’s , work of logging them at a loss. The ? National Party’s promise to save the forests of South Westland does not extend to Southland. Bad enough for a bird to face extinction for the sake of profit — but for a loss? — Yours, etc., (Miss) L. T. TAYLOR. July 10, 1987.