PHIL AND HELEN'S BEECH SCHEME WAS TWICE THE SIZE

The West Coast Accord signed in 1986 by the Labour government's environment minister Phil Goff provided for a beech scheme twice the size of plans to be released for public comment by Timberlands West Coast, State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall said today.

"When the Accord was signed, the parties envisaged a beech scheme of 137,000 cubic metres each year," Mr Ryall said.

"Plans soon to be put forward by Timberlands propose sustainable management of around 65,000 cubic metres of beech a year for the Maruia, Grey and Inangahua working circles ? half the size of plans reviewed by Labour," Mr Ryall said.

"The beech scheme envisaged in 1986 was a huge industrial chipping plant. By contrast, the sustainable beech management scheme proposed by Timberlands is a cautious, low intensity approach scientifically designed to mimic nature as close as possible.

"The proposed scheme is not clear-felling, it is sustainable, single tree harvesting that could not be more different to the beech plans considered by Labour when Mr Goff signed the Accord.

"The size of the 1986 beech scheme didn't seem to worry Helen Clark when she became Minister of Conservation in 1987. Nor for that matter was she concerned by the Buller Overcut which cut down rimu trees on an unsustainable basis.

"This Government wants to put West Coast forestry onto a sustainable management basis. We are working to end the Buller Overcut and ensure that there will be no unsustainable logging of native trees in the new millenium.

"The public will be given full opportunity to comment on the proposed sustainable beech management plans. There will be no beech scheme unless we can be assured that it can be done on a sustainable basis, that it stacks up economically and that it protects the areas of important conservation value in our West Coast forests."