An active conservator

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 269, 22 December 1988, Page 11

An active conservator

Many visitors to the Tongariro National Park come not just to look at what is being conserved but to take an active part in its conservation. Peter Devlin is a conservation officer who co-ordinates volunteers in the Pinus

cdntorta eradication prbgramme, which is active in the southern part of the park, above Karioi forest. Pinus contorta is a vigorous exotic pine tree that would threaten to infest much of the park, including the Rangipo Desert and

high altitudc areas if it weren't for the eradication programme. Peter's job involves camping out with volunteer tramping clubs and groups and working with them to systematically cover the areas affected b y the weed. The process involves lots of walking to cover designated areas to seek out and destroy scattered contorta seedlings. Peter Devlin h a s been working with the Department o f Conservation for two

years, after gaining his parks and recre&tion qualification f r o m Lincoln C o ifjrg e . Before coming to Tongariro he w a s working in the Marlborough Sounds Maritime Park. His Tongariro position is a temporary one, which he says fits well with his plans to travel overseas next year. In the mean time he will be spending a lot of time enjoying the mountain with friends of the park, pulling out pine trees.