Thursday, 15 May 2014, 4:30 pm Press Release: Forest And Bird
Extra money to save kauri ... but not birds?
Forest
& Bird is welcoming the commitment of $25 million over four
years in today’s budget to combat the spread of kauri
dieback disease.
But the independent conservation
organisation is questioning why the government isn’t
providing similar funding support to the Department of
Conservation, which is being forced to pay for this year’s
$21million Battle for the Birds predator control out of its
already insufficient operating budget.
“It’s
vital that kauri dieback is stopped – otherwise kauri
could become extinct,” says Forest & Bird Advocacy Manager
Kevin Hackwell.
“But fighting the rat and stoat
plagues that will result from this year’s abundance of
beech seeds is a once-in-a-decade-plus crisis that DOC
should never be expected to budget for.
“The
department will be forced to pay for this year’s boost to
its predator control programme by cutting back on other
vital conservation work over the next few years,” Kevin
Hackwell says.
Ends
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