Conservationist hails decision

Press, 17 November 1987, Page 24

Conservationist hails decision

PA Wellington A Planning Tribunal decision could set an important precedent in a campaign to restrict logging in unprotected bush, a conservationist says. The interim decision by tribunal Judge Treadwell follows a 1984 Native Forests Action Council objection to the Waimea County Council’s district scheme. The Waimea council upheld the objection and an appeal by Nelson Pine Forests, Ltd, was heard by the tribunal. There had been alarming loss of native forests on private land in the Nelson area, Judge Treadwell said in a written decision. "We are looking at 16 years milling, at the end of which there could be total destruction of all remnant forests ... except for pockets.” About 80 per cent of the timber was “merely chipped” before export to Japan. “Because the appellant is, in our opinion, mismanaging a resource, evidence from that source is not of great assistance in resolving appropriate land uses and is without persuasive force.” The N.F.A.C. director, Guy Salmon, said the decision was an important precedent for the protection of native forests on

private land in many parts of New Zealand. “The owner ... can no longer say he or she has the right to destroy it,” he said. Mr Salmon said the decision reflected great credit on the Waimea council, the first to take a real lead on forest conservation and then defend its decision before the tribunal. “This ... also confirms that the Town and Country Planning Act — under threat of major modification — can be an important instrument for protection of the natural environment,” he said. Judge Treadwell said his decision would be interim because an agreement should be reached on a practical definition of native forests which detailed controls so they were capable of being policed and reflected the views of responsible farmers. Federated Farmers had supported - conservation if it fitted in with a general ability to develop and manage a pastoral farm, he said. “It was extremely encouraging to see the general concern expressed by all parties in connection with our environment which in this area is becoming fragile.” The N.F.A.C. would like to see district schemes

defining native forest as areas of more than half a hectare covered by native trees and vegetation more than six metres high. The tribunal had suggested a bigger area, five hectares, and spreading clearance over five years. Federated Farmers had raised the question of when scrub became forest and pointed out that kanuka and manuka was often higher than six metres. Logging on private land has increased as farmers face financial pressures caused by the rural downturn and timber companies find it harder to get access to State-owned forest. There has been a doubling of woodchip exports since 1984 with many of the silver beech, tawa, kamahi and rata logs fed into chippers coming from private land. Conservationists are pushing for changes to the way private native forest is treated for rating purposes, arguing that land not used for production and not using local body services should be exempt from rates. They say this would ease financial pressures particularly on Maori land owners, who control more than half the privately owned native forest in the North Island.