4 November 2008
Company and director prosecuted for cutting down native trees
MAF has successfully prosecuted a Northland milling company and its director for contravening an approval to harvest and
mill native timber for personal use.
The company, Northland Kauri Limited, and the company’s managing director, Arthur Theodorus Bergman, were convicted in
the Taumarunui District Court on 24 October 2008 of Forests Act offences relating to the contravention of a ‘Personal
Use’ approval.
Bergman pleaded guilty to charges of harvesting and milling rimu and matai in excess of the volume approved. Approval
had been granted to harvest and mill up to 50 cubic metres of rimu and matai at a property in Manson’s Siding near
National Park.
The company was also convicted on a charge of failing to produce sawmilling records to a Forestry Officer, as required
under the Forests Act.
The court sentenced the defendants to a total of $6000.00 in fines and costs.
Robert Miller, Operations Manager of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Sustainable Programmes directorate, said
that the successful prosecution sends a strong message to others who harvest more native trees than they are entitled
to.
“MAF takes breaches of the Forests Act very seriously. The successful prosecution emphasises that taking more than the
approved amount will not be tolerated. All identified breaches will be investigated to ensure that the Forests Act is
being adhered to.”
In this case, the landowner had earlier been convicted and fined in relation to the contravention. Further defendants
have also been charged but they are yet to be dealt with by the Court.
Mr Miller said that the purpose of Part 3A of the Forests Act is to promote sustainable forest management of indigenous
forest land.
“New Zealanders place significant value on our native forests – they are part of our cultural heritage. Therefore it is
important that they are managed sustainably. The Forests Act is in place to ensure this. The findings of the Court in
this particular case demonstrate this importance,” Mr Miller said.
ENDS