Hopes high to save Karamea's Oparara forests

Forest and Bird, Volume 17, Issue 2, 1 May 1986, Page 31

Hopes high to save Karamea's Oparara forests

Great limestone arches; the honeycomb limestone caves hosting bones of moas and extinct birds; giant land snails; the nation’s most extensive remaining alluvial beech-podocarp (Type PB1) forests and a fascinating mosaic of virgin forest on many different rock types — the Oparara valley near Karamea lies within the North West Nelson Forest. Since 1976 it has been the focus of national conservation campaigns to stop logging and widespread bush burnoffs to plant pines. Since then, scientific studies have revealed an amazing array of rare and special plants and animals in the valley. However the Oparara isn’t just important for science. Its limestone arches and caves are now Karamea’s premier tourist attraction and walking tracks in the valley are increasingly popular both with visitors and the local school. Forest Service Ranger, Norm Stopforth, recently proposed linking existing tracks to provide a superb 2-3 day walk through the Oparara from the Karamea end of the Heaphy Track. The future of the Oparara will be decided on 12-15 May when the Government’s scientific committee on reserves visits the valley to consider preservation pleas from DSIR, the Wildlife Service and our joint Forestry Campaign.