‘Save Fiordland’ Incorporates, Challenges DoC and Government to Do Right Thing For World Heritage

Sunday, 15 July 2012

Press Release: Save Fiordland

Another Large Crowd in Te Anau, as Society Enlists Members, Forms Working Groups, and Gets Down To Business

Save Fiordland has formally become an incorporated society, with the immediate focus on saving New Zealand’s iconic UNESCO Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Wilderness from two private-access private-developer proposals which threaten to drill and deforest their way through the area. The group’s long-term goal is to focus on heritage and guardianship of New Zealand’s conservation areas, and to fight for the meaningful protection of the country’s World Heritage Wilderness Areas.

It was another great turnout in Te Anau, as people from various communities gathered - with members not just there to listen, but also to roll up sleeves and make specific commitments to the cause, based upon each member’s personal areas of expertise and passion. The result is a Save Fiordland campaign that is now set to act on a multitude of fronts: political, legal, media, scientific, recreational, corporate, financial, and educational. This is a campaign that is determined to carry the urgent message of defending what belongs to all New Zealanders, and the wider world as well with the UNESCO Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area at stake.

Save Fiordland is a coalition of people from all walks of life and political affiliations, and the group has invited all parties to engage with and support the campaign. On this day, Save Fiordland welcomed Eugenie Sage, the Green Party MP and Spokesperson for Conservation, who made a special trip to Te Anau to speak to the group and offer her support and encouragement to the cause. As well, a letter of support was sent to Save Fiordland by Ruth Dyson, Labour MP and Spokesperson for Conservation, and read out to the group. It is the aim of Save Fiordland to continue to reach out to New Zealand’s leaders, from all parties and from the Department of Conservation (DoC) as well.

In particular, the campaign is aiming to apply firm pressure and get real answers to the hard questions about these development proposals, from the key decision makers among whom the final decision must come: Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key, Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson, Local MP Bill English, and DoC’s decision-makers including Director-General Al Morrison - and Southland Conservator Barry Hanson, whose decision to grant approval-in-principle for both the tunnel and boat-ute-monorail projects has forced the public into doing the job that DoC has effectively abandoned.

Save Fiordland today ratified its constitution, elected an executive committee, and also voted to elect the esteemed scientist and former Save Manapouri champion, Professor Alan Mark, to be its founding patron.

Save Fiordland’s founding Chairperson Daphne Taylor, reflecting on the day's hard work, stated that "History shows that Fiordlanders take their guardianship role seriously. They understand it. There is no confusion as to the travesty involved in the Department of Conservation approving in principle the tunnel and monorail projects in our world heritage area. And there is certainly no confusion as to what is needed to achieve the immediate goal of stopping the two concessions being granted."

ENDS

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