Forest & Bird seek to delay economic and environmental progress - Ruataniwha

“Forest & Bird is once again using delay tactics in an attempt to stall development of the Ruataniwha Dam,” says Andrew Curtis, CEO of IrrigationNZ. “It has threatened to seek a High Court review of an approved DOC land swap.”

The Department of Conservation ran an open process of public consultation for the land swap – which Forest & Bird participated in.

“Forest & Bird struggle to understand that they have had their say on this swap and whatever their concerns are, DOC, in consultation with the public, iwi and conservation boards, has made its decision,” he says.

Under the Conservation Act, proposed land exchanges must result in an overall conservation gain for public conservation land. According to DOC, this condition has been met. The public will gain land three times larger than what has been revoked and the revoked land was heavily logged, with lots of weeds and contains an old house site. The land swap will be an improvement for biodiversity.

“It is essential to keep the big picture top of mind with infrastructure projects like Ruataniwha,” says Mr Curtis. “Dwelling on the minutia in efforts to block progress will only result in stagnant regional growth.”

“The focus must remain on the overall net gains for the Hawke’s Bay region and its communities. With El Nino on the horizon and eastern New Zealand increasingly vulnerable to climatic fluctuations, the surety of water supply from Ruataniwha will provide net environmental and economic gains for all.

“Ruataniwha will be essential for the health of the river. Lower rainfall in the Hawke’s Bay ranges, predicted under future climate change scenarios, will result in longer periods of river low flows which will greatly impact upon aquatic ecosystems,” says Mr Curtis. “The dam will operate much like Opuha underpinning river flows and supporting fish and other native species.”

“Given all the above, the only conclusion we can draw is that Forest & Bird has no interest in working with local communities in developing a thriving, sustainable future for provincial New Zealand. When coupled with their other recent court action, one has to question their current motives,” concluded Mr Curtis.

ENDS

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