Logger seeks to swap cutting rights for land

The Conservation Department and controversial logger Chris Bergman could be on the way to swapping some low-value conservation land for the logging rights to Taunoka Conservation Area.
Mr Bergman owns the rights to log the remote 200ha block west of Pipiriki. His business has already cut down about 100 large rimu trees.
The Conservation Department wants to stop any further logging of the ancient trees, which are in its care. Wanganui regional conservator Bill Carlin said the job of coming to an agreement with Mr Bergman was his, although Conservation Minister Chris Carter wanted to be informed of progress.
An investigation by Wanganui District Council concluded that Mr Bergman had breached a rule in its district plan by logging four times as much at Taunoka as he was entitled to last year. An Environment Court injunction now prevents Mr Bergman moving or milling the trees his business has felled.
Mr Bergman said he owned three blocks of land, totalling about 2000ha, in the Moeawatea area inland from Waverley.
His land was the home of wild cattle that roamed on to nearby conservation land and were shot by the department.
He wanted to swap the Taunoka logging rights for that conservation land, and would be looking to receive a cash top-up to bring the value of the total package up to that of the legally millable timber at Taunoka Conservation Area.
The value of the land and the value of the legally millable timber would both be debatable.
Mr Carlin said DoC staff had flown over the land Mr Bergman wanted and reported back on it. He was "in the process of putting together some conclusions" about the matter and hoped to inform Mr Bergman of them by letter yesterday.
Mr Bergman said he would like to get out of rimu milling and use the final big parcel of land in the Moeawatea headwaters for a hunting safari business. The land was reverted farmland and he would be willing to leave any bush on it and control introduced pests.
"I could look after it better than they are."
He thought Wanganui District Council might lift its injunction against moving or milling the Taunoka logs if he came to an agreement with DoC.