NATIONAL PARKS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 39, 14 August 1926, Page 15

NATIONAL PARKS

AMERICA'S POLICY

SHOULD BE KEPT INVIOLATE

NO EXOTIC PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

A letter received by a resident of Wellington, keenly interested in matters relating to native flora and fauna, from Mr. Barrington Moore, a recognised authority on botanical and forestry questions in the United States, is of particular interest, in that it sets out the American policy in regard to national parks. The State Department has laid it down that the national parks of the United States shall be kept inviolate against the introduction of exotic plants, animals, and birds. That is iot so in New Zealand's National Park, Tongariro. "This question as to whether the parks should bo kept inviolate a3 museums of the indigenous flora and fauna, or whether they should be developed primarily for recreation, is more important than any other matter of policy," .wrote Mr. Barrington Moore. "Tho point of view of those who would introduce exotic plants and animals, and derive rcvenuo from cutting the forest, is readily understandable. Wo have had the same conflict in this country, and it is only comparatively recently that it has been decided definitely in favour of keeping our national park 3 inviolate as areas in which the natural flora and fauna can be found undisturbed by outside agencies. This is unquestionably the most important purpose of national parks. "There are plenty of places where shooting and fishing can bo fostered without destroying the. few remaining remnants of virgin wilderness. Area 3 on which natural conditions have been preserved are of such value for scientific study of tho relation between plants and animals, and their environment, that the destruction of such areas is like destroying a library of original manuscripts, or a mu3eum with collections not duplicated elsewhere.

"In Switzerland the national parks are preserved primarily for scientific purposes, and used for recreation only very sparingly or not at all. In this country our scientists uave long realised the scientific and educational value of tho national parks. Several years ago the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the largest group of scientists in the country, passed a strong set of resolutions vigorously opposing the introduction of normative plants and animals into the national parks.

"Fortunately, our national park 3 are

large and have as yet been little disturbed. Wo have always protected the parks from commercial encroachments, sometimes against strong pressure. The principal interest of the Government, however, has until recently been recreation. Last fall, to our delight, the Secretary of tho Interior, charged with tho administration of the national park 3, recognised the outdoor museum feature as the primary purpose of these parks.''

A second letter, from the Director of the National Park Service of the United States, sets out the policy of tho American Government in regard to timber cutting in such areas:—

"The policy governing the establishment of new national ■ parks provides that these areas 3hall be the outstanding examples of their particular kind of scenery, and it is essential that the trees in these areas belong to virgin forest 3. Naturally, then, we would not consider permitting any cutting of trees in the parks already existing for tho purpose of obtaining revenue. Our national forests, which are administered by the Forest Service .of tho Department of Agriculture, are developed for economic purposes, and in these the cutting of timber under certain regulations is permitted."