Forest day of action

Forest and Bird, Issue 268, 1 May 1993, Page 2

Forest day of action

IT WAS a wonderful show of concern for the rainforests of South Westland. On 26 March over 90 concerned New Zealanders converged on the only road access out of Ianthe Forest. The action, protesting the government’s extension of clearfelling of rimu forests for another two years, was successful, blocking the road for half'a day and holding up three logging trucks and several other logging vehicles. Other protests, organised by _ Forest and Bird and university environment groups under the umbrella of the New Zealand Rainforests Coalition, were held round the country on the same day. Over 150 people marched through central Wellington, a picket was held outside the Auckland offices of sawmill owners Carter Holt Harvey, and a timber yard selling rimu was picketed in Christchurch. "T have never been with such a motivated and united

group of people," said organiser of the West Coast action Grant Rosoman. "They came from around the country risking both arrest and confrontation with the logging crews. There was definitely a sense of frustration that the government had gone back on its word to

end the clearfelling of native forests, but we were doing something positive and active to get the message through that we have had enough." The protest, a peaceful statement that rimu forests are worth more than their value as framing and decorative timber,

carefully avoided any violent confrontation with the logging crews. "Our row is not with the local community," said Rosoman, "but with the government and Timberlands West Coast which have welshed on their commitments under the West Coast Forests Accord".