Court challenge eyed as lakeside logging begins

Aerial view of Tikitapu (Blue Lake). Photo / Andrew Warner

Rotorua residents are considering court action in their fight to stop the removal of trees around Tikitapu (Blue Lake).

Logging has already started in the area and the track is now closed for safety reasons. Security guards and signs have been posted at both ends of the popular track to stop people walking through.

Residents and tree experts fear the logging has the potential to destroy the lake's water quality if it is done in a similar manner to that around Lake Rotokakahi (Green Lake).

A public meeting was to be held today to discuss ideas to put a stop to logging.

Timberlands, which owns the cutting rights to the 90-year-old douglas fir trees, told the Daily Post yesterday the logging would be different to Lake Rotokakahi and would only see 15 per cent of trees removed around the water's edge.

Timberlands managing director David Balfour said earlier reports that half of the trees would be removed referred to the trees 20m above the main walking track and beyond towards Lake Rotokakahi.

He said the remaining strip around the lake edge would only have 15 per cent of the trees removed.

He reiterated Timberlands had been granted resource consent from the Rotorua District Council and Environment Bay of Plenty's "permitted activity standards".

But keen outdoors man Dave Donaldson, who is also a Rotorua district councillor, said the resource consent could be challenged in one of three options to put a stop to logging.

He said the options were:

* Seeking an injunction while a judicial review of the council-issued resource consent allowing Timberlands to carry out the logging takes place

* Seeking compensation from the Government to pay out forest owners - Harvard University and New Zealand Superannuation Fund - what they would have made from felling

* The Government forcing logging to stop using a protective covenant which is part of the Crown Forests Asset Act 1989.

Mr Donaldson said the covenant said Timberlands must "preserve and protect the natural and historic resources of the covenant area".

"I maintain those trees are a historic resource."

He said he was not the type to chain himself to a tree but would argue the trees should remain "until the cows come home".

Environment Bay of Plenty chief executive Bill Bayfield told the Daily Post in a statement yesterday the regional council was undertaking monitoring and was working closely with Timberlands to ensure the logging did not affect the lake's water quality.

Professor David Hamilton, who is the environmental expert for Lakes Management and Restoration at Waikato University, has raised concerns about lake water quality being seriously affected if the tree felling was the same as at Lake Rotokakahi.

"We have been in touch with Professor Hamilton over time and we have integrated the issues he raised with our own concerns and are working with Timberlands on mitigating or minimising these matters," Mr Bayfield said.

"Water quality in Rotorua's lakes is of the utmost importance to Environment Bay of Plenty and we are working with Timberlands on their proposal to ensure that the integrity of the lake is not compromised through this project."

- DAILY POST