South Pacific Appeal

Forest and Bird, Volume 17, Issue 4, 1 November 1986, Page 37

South Pacific Appeal

Returns from the appeal have been very encouraging, as have the positive comments from our thousands of contributors. Some examples: ‘Congratulations to Dr Alan Mark and his excellent letter many members will be as inspired as we are by it." "I am glad to see your entry into a coverage of the Pacific, where I have noted a necessity even greater than here for immediate management and control of forestry." By the beginning of October the appeal total stood at $30,000. Our Pacific Forest Conservation Coalition is now developing a strategy to use this money most effectively; by the February magazine we should be able to inform members on progress. This appeal was a novel one for the Soci-. ety in that it asked New Zealanders to look beyond their immediate neighbourhood; the good response highlights the close community of interest between this country and the South Pacific. To those thousands who did contribute, thank you. The Society is now in a position to try and stem the horrific destruction of some of the world’s precious tropical rainforests.

The kea pictured could not be further from its South Island high country home. This advertisement was lifted from an American magazine Watchbird, and offers ‘‘2 sexed pairs currently available." The Wildlife Service says that all kea exports are illegal and has no idea where this bird could have come from. It’s a sad day when we see our increasingly rare "high country monarch" being offered for sale. Meanwhile, we are still waiting for the announcement from Internal Affairs Minister Peter Tapsell that the kea has been given full protection — a promise he vowed to fulfill before the end of the year. We urge members to write to the Minister to remind him of his pledge.