The North Island's central volcanic plateau was once wholly covered with native podocarp forest Inevitably, this was greatly reduced during the period of Maori and European settlement The habitat range and survival chances of many of New Zealand's unique native birds shrunk dramatically during this time, several species became extinct

We are left today with a few small but valuable unlogged remnants of the original forest These areas are rich in the native wildlife that remains to us. In particular, these forests represent important refuges for some of the less common and more sensitive native bird species — including the kokako, kaka and kakariki (native parakeets).

The Wildlife Service has therefore asked for an early cessation of logging in all virgin forests in the central North Island The Service also believes a "Biosphere Reserve" should be established in this region, as a New Zealand contribution to an international programme designed to protect examples of the world's most outstanding natural forests and wildlife communities.

Most New Zealanders probably agree that these remaining forests should now be reserved. However, before this can be done the Forest Service logging programme must be stopped. For despite strong public support for a policy of preserving these forests, the Forest Service has just announced its intention to prolong commercial log production for as long as possible. Recently published logging plans for the West Taupo forests conflict sharply with the Wildlife Service's plan for reserves in areas of outstanding wildlife value — as the map at right shows very clearly.

The podocarp forests are special in themselves Diverse, luxuriant, heavily timbered, these forests contain mixed associations of the big podocarp trees — totara, matai, rimu, tanekaha, miro and kahikatea — together with up to 200 other native plants including ferns, climbers and orchids. Such forests are rare today They once grew on lowland plains and valleys throughout New Zealand, these are the forests the pioneers knew However, only pocket-handkerchief stands remain in these areas now.

The last significant stands of these great mixed podocarp forests lie on the volcanic plateau. The forests have retreated to the fringes of the plateau, and even here, the scattered remnant stands have been reduced by two-thirds since the second World! War. But unlogged areas worthy of protection still survive in Pureora. Waihaha. Whinnaki and Erua forests. These must be saved.

In the virgin forest, the imprint of ancient natural processes may be seen and marvelled at. These podocarp forests have their evolutionary origins in the vast forests of the prehistoric continent of Condwanaland, over two hundred million years ago. The islands of New Zealand subsequently drifted away from Condwanaland and the forests have survived and evolved through the upheavals of mountain building, the ice ages, and the volcanic ash showers. Modern science reveals the forests to be an ancient living organism, shaped by natural forces over immense periods of time, yet still resembling — more than any other of the world's forests — the Mesozoic forests of Condwanaland. We are the custodians of a New Zealand heritage of world interest. Yet we now find that for a period of the earths history almost too brief to be significant, man and the wild forest have come to a parting of the way. The Forest Service proposal to prolong and extend the selection logging of these last mixed podocarp forests threatens an unjustified and irretrievable loss to conservation. It must be fought.