FOREST AND BIRD PROTECTION

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 175, 21 April 1937, Page 15

FOREST AND BIRD PROTECTION

Annual Report of Society

That greater progress toward their final goal than has been made in any other year was the result of last year’s work is the opinion expressed iu the annual report of the New Zealand Forest. and Bird Protection Society.

The present reservations now in New Zealand are as follows:—A total of 2,1184,000 acres are set aside as national parks, including fiordland 2,400,000 acres. Public domains total 75,000 acres, scenic reserves, to which there have been substantial additions during the past year, account for 705,000 acres. State forests cover approximately 8,000,000 acres, which gives a total of 11,764,000 acres in reservations, upon which it is illegal to take or kill birds without Ministerial permission. Besides this area, there is a considerable area reserved as sanctuary under the Animals Protection and Game Act, 1921-2, the extent of which is not at the moment ascertainable. The balance consists of about 42,000,000 acres devoted to agricultural and pastoral purposes, and an area of about 12,000,000 acres which is put to various uses or unoccupied. “The decision of the Government to set aside 370,000 acres as permanent reserves,” continues the report, “was an outstanding action on the part of the authorities during the year. In the past the society has repeatedly had occasion to advocate strenuously the necessity of saving the Urewera forest from the axe and saw, pointing out the economic loss, owing to the resulting damage by erosion, floods, etc., which would follow in the wake of the destruction of this forest to the large fertile areas of the Whakatane district. We would like to be assured, however, that the Amourist Department, which controls the adjacent Waikarentoana district, is fully alive to the fact that the forest is the main scenic attraction, and that it cannot exist in its pristine beauty if deer are tolerated.” For several years the society had been attempting to bring into effect a prohibition against the selling of bird lime and the report states that it is gratifying to note that the necessary regulaions were enacted last year. Poaching from Public Works camps was an evil that had been reported to the society In the past, but previously their efforts had met with little success. Now, ’however, the Minister had giveiy instructions that should remedy the matter.

The report mentions the satisfactory results obtained from the records distributed throughout the Dominion, which emphasised the need for preservation of forest and bird life, and the executive is now endeavouring to have suitable films put on circuit to all schools. *

“No longer does it fall upon us to tight the battle for the preservation of our native birds almost single-handed,” concludes the report. Tramping clubs, horticultural societies, societies for the prevention of cruelty, and many others now- lend invaluable aid in the national cause. With such a combined effort the work of securing the sympathy of irresistible public opinion goes on apace. We have also to express our appreciation of the manner in which those departments most nearly concerned in forest and bird life matters have made their decisions promptly whenever the solution of any matter was discernible.