Red Tape Tight On Beech Forests

By David Tripe

The response of the parliamentary Petitions Committee to the petition seeking protection of the South Island beech forests is hardly surprising. The committee, which is safely under the control of the Forest Service, gave the least favourable recommendation possible that the government should merely give consideration to the petition The Forest Service has big plans for the beech forests and when such an under-rated government department has a chance to improve its standing it is not to be stopped. I he service has always had a hard lime justifying its finances and thus a good long-term project like that planned tor Westland and Southland is just what it needs.

The Labour Government and the Forest Service are trying to simplify environmental issues into a choice between regional development and recreational facilities for the rich. In the case of the beech forest controversy they have been highly successful in putting across this line. Clearly we cannot sympathise with wealthy conservationists who wish to preserve their recreational facilities rather than provide jobs for the workers. After all how many workers are going to be able to take their families to appreciate the beauties of the South Island beech forests? And this is only a part of the story.

The problem from the government's point of view is not whether to utilise the forests as a resource but how. The Forest Service wants the beech to be made into paper pulp so that the land can then be used for planting exotic trees (i.e. pinus radiata and eucalyptus).

The alternative scheme involves using the beech forests for their timber content. New Zealand is currently importing hardwood timber, but the present proposal is to convert the beeches to paper. This sawn timber could de used on the West Coast for making furniture, or for similar industries. The trees which did not yield wood of suitable quality could, if necessary, be put through a chip mill. The net effect of this proposal is selective milling of the beech forests, conservation not preservation.

This proposal would be as economically efficient as the official plans and would be less disruptive of the way of life that is such a distinctive feature of the area. But because it was not their own suggestion the Forest Service have rejected this alternative scheme, proposed by the National Campaign Committee for Forest Use and Conservation, as impractical.

A more crucial point is that the construction of a pulp mill will inevitably mean even greater control of the New Zealand economy by Japanese business interests as there will be no Japanese market for glossy paper unless they have a financial interest. So for all Bill Rowling's laws about the regulation of foreign investment, the Labour Government is continuing to sell New Zealand out to the Japanese. There seems to be something wrong with the whole scheme. But perhaps the Labour Government really does see serving Japanese business interests as its chief priority.

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