Forest and Bird unhappy about South Island rimu logging

The Forest and Bird society is unhappy that logging of rimu in native forest south of Dunedin has been given the go-ahead by the local council.

Yesterday, the Clutha District Council granted consent to fell rimu forest in the Catlins.

Forest and Bird's society southern conservation officer Sue Maturin told the Otago Daily Times newspaper that the granting of resource consent was illegal.

She said the decision was a "slap in the face" given a recent Environment Court decision that "recognised the importance of public participation in reaching robust environmental decisions."

The society said the deal was done without public consultation.

The Clutha District Council has defended its actions, saying the land was already being logged illegally and a blanket protection order could not be put on the land, which is administered under the South Island Landless Natives Act.

National's Conservation spokesman Nick Smith described the granting of consent as a disgrace and accused the Government of stopping sustainable rimu harvesting on the West Coast but turning a blind eye to clear felling in Southland.

The office of Conservation Minister Sandra Lee said she would be seeking advice on the issue.