National promises to protect kauri forests

Published: 11:16AM Saturday September 13, 2014 Source: ONE News

National has released its conservation policy, promising a new national park in Northland kauri forests, an overhaul of marine protection and more pest control if it's re-elected.

Conservation spokesman Nick Smith says a specific priority will be to establish New Zealand's 15th national park and the first north of Rotorua in the treasured kauri forests at Waipoua.

Dr Smith says National has committed $30 million this term to protecting New Zealand's forests from kauri dieback disease. The next step is to work with the local iwi Te Roroa to fund a high-quality upgrade of the visitor facilities to help grow tourism in Northland, he says.

Having created 460,000 hectares of marine reserves in the last three years, the next step is a major overhaul of the Marine Reserves Act with a new Marine Protected Areas Act, Dr Smith says.

This provides for a wider range of different types of protected areas and improved processes for created marine reserves, parks and sanctuaries, he says.

Dr Smith says National has taken an aggressive stance against pests like rats, stoats and possums that kill 25 million native birds a year.

He says the commitment is not only to carry out one million hectares of pest control this beech mast year, but to ramp up the annual area of control from 150,000 hectares to 450,000 hectares a year.

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National promises to protect kauri forests