The role of central Government

Forest and Bird, Issue 293, 1 August 1999, Page 2

The role of central Government

KEITH CHAPPLE

ver the past 60 million years, New Zealand has developed a unique environment with its own peculiar plants and animals. Their ecological significance makes these islands an important ‘centre of biodiversity’ but that biological heritage has been sorely depleted since the arrival of humans. The facts are undisputed and shameful. The ecological holocaust shows no signs of slowing. This decline goes beyond terrestrial ecosystems to include the decimation of marine life, with the biomass of salt-water species greatly reduced, along with major declines in marine mammal and seabird populations. New Zealand has not been indifferent to these losses. Each generation has sought, in its own way, to stop the decline. Under the terms of the international Convention on Biological Diversity (to which New Zealand is a signatory), we are obliged to produce and implement a biodiversity strategy, and a draft was released for public comment earlier this year. Potentially the strategy could lead to a major boost in conservation funding and significant advances in biodiversity protection. A weak strategy will be worse than the present, inevitably leading to an accelerating retreat of New Zealand’s natural world in the

face of adverse effects — for example, from alien weeds and pests, human activities such as vegetation clearance, sprawling sub-divi-sions, native-forest logging, and unsustainable land management and fishing practices. For once, let us try to get it right. We may not have another opportunity. Getting it right will require careful planning. But perhaps the ‘over-arching’ issue concerns the role of central Government. The draft strategy hints that a greater proportional contribution should come

from individuals acting in a private capacity, and erroneously suggests that ‘little progress will be made without community support. False impressions generally lead to false expectations. In this case they could lead to lack of policy and resource support, which in turn could lead to inefficient and ineffective conservation. Community support is necessary at the ballot box, and there is no doubt individuals can make a difference; witness the practical conservation activities of Forest and Bird branches and many other groups. But it is not sensible to understate the role of central

Government by overstating the contribution of private citizens. Neither is it sensible, or even technically possible, to ask people to deal competently with more than a tiny proportion of our biodiversity problems. Common sense suggests that the greatest biodiversity gains will be made by targeting resources into areas where the greatest gains can be made. The issues are plainly stated. Section 6 of the Conservation Act instructs the Department of Conservation to advocate for conservation generally.

DoC administers about 30 per cent of New Zealand’s land mass and cares for over 1000 threatened species. It manages 4.9 million hectares of native forest compared to about 1.3 million in private ownership. Let’s not beat about the bush: DoC is the major player in the protection of biodiversity. It manages at least 50 percent, and perhaps as much as 70 percent of our existing biodiversity. Most people accept that DoC is more knowledgeable, does a better job of environmental protection and deals with issues of a highly technical nature more efficiently, than the rest of us. I cite pest control, one of the more pressing threats to biodiversity. Pest control requires a _ national overview, plus good information, a lot of science, meticulous long-term planning, well-executed systems and monitoring programmes, training, experience, persistence over the long haul, considerable commitments in time and money, and the ability to forge cooperative pest control programmes with adjacent landowners. There simply isn’t another organisation with these capabilities or the statutory powers. Clearly, very significant biodiversity gains can be achieved by allocating ade-

quate resources to the Department of Conservation. The role of central Government is to ensure that happens.

‘For once, let us try to get it right. We may not have another opportunity.’

is

the national president of Forest and Bird.