A New Era Begins

Forest and Bird, Volume 18, Issue 2, 1 May 1987, Page 30

A New Era Begins

The launching of the new Conservation Department on | April marks a new era for New Zealand's conservation movement. The Society’s warmest congratulations are extended to Ken Piddington and all his staff in this new endeavour. They can count on our support in their efforts to protect New Zealand’s heritage. It is also an appropriate time to acknowledge the major contribution made to heritage protection by the outgoing departments: Lands and Survey who developed and managed our prestigious National Park and Reserve network; the Forest Service who developed a fine network of forest parks and ecological reserves and recreational facilities throughout the country. Our conflicts with both these departments were inevitable because of their dual protection/ production role but we always respected and appreciated their efforts in heritage protection. Above all we should acknowledge the passing of the New Zealand Wildlife Service. No other government agency has been closer or more supportive to our Society. Their endangered species work, survey work and habitat protection activities are legend. Hopefully their effectiveness will now be enhanced because in DoC they will have control over much habitat as well as wildlife species. Hopefully too, DoC will develop the same unity and conservation commitment that was always a feature of the Wildlife Service.