Mature beech trees, like these are to be felled and helicoptered from the West Coast forests under Timberlands' management plans. Old beech trees are vital habitat for perching plants (such as native mistletoe), as roost sites for native bats, and as foraging and nesting sites for birds such as kaka and parakeets. Scientific research has shown that wildlife makes much more use of beech trees above 70 centimetres in diameter, for nesting and foraging, than it does smaller trees. Large old trees have more potential nesting holes than small trees because holes form when branches break off at the trunk and timber rots with the ageing tree. Timberlands plans to leave only the very biggest trees — red beech with a diameter of more than 110 centimetres and silver beech over 90 centimetres — taking those in the critical 70-centimetres-plus range. ROB BROWN At risk from the Timberlands beech plan are the red and silver beech forests on the east bank of the Maruia valley, near Springs Junction. More than 90 percent of the 13,000 hectares of Maruia are pristine, old-growth forest which the Department of Conservation has described as having 'outstanding wildlife habitat values.' These forests are home to several species threatened with extinction, such as kaka, blue duck, parakeets, falcon and several native fish species. Overall, the Department of Conservation has identified that 92 percent of the 132,000 hectares of native forest which Timberlands controls has 'high' or 'medium' conservation values deserving protection.

Forest and Bird, Issue 294, 1 November 1999, Page 24

Mature beech trees, like these are to be felled and helicoptered from the West Coast forests under Timberlands' management plans. Old beech trees are vital habitat for perching plants (such as native mistletoe), as roost sites for native bats, and as foraging and nesting sites for birds such as kaka and parakeets. Scientific research has shown that wildlife makes much more use of beech trees above 70 centimetres in diameter, for nesting and foraging, than it does smaller trees. Large old trees have more potential nesting holes than small trees because holes form when branches break off at the trunk and timber rots with the ageing tree. Timberlands plans to leave only the very biggest trees — red beech with a diameter of more than 110 centimetres and silver beech over 90 centimetres — taking those in the critical 70-centimetres-plus range.

ROB BROWN

At risk from the Timberlands beech plan are the red and silver beech forests on the east bank of the Maruia valley, near Springs Junction. More than 90 percent of the 13,000 hectares of Maruia are pristine, old-growth forest which the Department of Conservation has described as having 'outstanding wildlife habitat values.' These forests are home to several species threatened with extinction, such as kaka, blue duck, parakeets, falcon and several native fish species. Overall, the Department of Conservation has identified that 92 percent of the 132,000 hectares of native forest which Timberlands controls has 'high' or 'medium' conservation values deserving protection.