The New Zealand Plant Conservation Network

This is a pretty disturbing development, please read the following article.

http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/3rd-degree/nz-kauri-sent-to-china-in-black-gold-rush-2014043016

I have written to Bob Teisburg owner of Ancient Woods and eagerly await his response.
http://www.ancientwood.com/

It's happening, it's nasty and it's definitely not good for your health to step on the toes of the unscrupulous. Greed has drawn far too many into this illicit trade and the saddest fact of all is that that those tasked with preventing it from happening generally appear to be powerless to act. Maybe the era of ever diminishing budgets for environmental protection make it all too difficult to mount a prosecution against the worst offenders. The reality remains that the pillage of previously undisturbed wetlands in the far north is continuing unabated at an alarming rate.

You should also raise your concerns with Northland Regional Council, mainly from a protection of historic artifacts and significant wetlands angle.

Hi Bill, I see you're from up that way - are you involved with efforts to protect wetlands and kauri or prosecute the perpetrators? Would you be interested in writing a piece about this issue for our newsletter?

Mike, the NRC is well aware of what is happening with kauri log extraction in the far north. They brought the initial prosecution against Gary Beckham and Ray Bird, which ultimately resulted in a fine of $50,000.00 being imposed. To the best of my knowledge there has been no subsequent action taken in respect of ongoing extraction activity, much of which is highly debatable in terms of its legality. What is required is for the government of the day to strengthen the law surrounding the export of Kauri to eliminate weaknesses that are being exploited by a greedy few. It is a farce that the so-called 'table-top" slabs are able be exported to China as finished products. The Ministry for Primary Industries is responsible for policing the current law and I believe that initially they did block exports of Kauri to China for quite some time. Unfortunately, it appears that the floodgates have subsequently opened. Ministerial intervention perhaps?

Jesse. The answer to the first part of your question is no. I am aware of certain things as a result of living in a small community, where people talk amongst themselves. I am simply a local naturalist who is particularly interested in this particular issue because of my special interest in native orchids and Northland's threatened plants, a number of which are wetland species. In answer to your second question, there are others much better informed than I on this subject who may be willing to write an article for the NZPCN newsletter. I can make enquiries to this effect if you wish.

Thanks Bill, I appreciate your position, I too live in a small rural community and know how things can be. I would appreciate any contacts you can offer.

I'm appalled! It seems that when so much money is held by so many people who have no concept of the values or the importance of what they are buying (or destroying to buy something they 'want'), then we can no longer allow money to be the way we run human society, or allow technology to collude in such wanton destruction. That Judith Collins is associated with this ... I am aghast! ... what have we empowered in our choice of politicians? And the people we have facilitated to give our societies' money, resources and power to!!! Aghast!