Disappearing wild
p. 57 · Read in the full issue
life causes concern on Norfolk
By a staff writer
Expressions of concern over te disappearing wild life in the Duth Seas are becoming increas igly familiar in the Islands these lys as populations grow and ian makes inroads into pre ously uninhabited or little fre aented areas.
VNE territory where voices of pro t test have been raised recently is orfolk Island, which has “gone lead” rapidly in the last few years icause of its popularity as a tourist ntre.
It was the island’s roneoed news iper, the Norfolk Islander, which arted the recent protests.
Lamenting the destruction of some acadamia trees in the Burnt Pine opping area, the Norfolk Islander id that the island was ill-equipped, gaily to control the “sudden rush ; speculative ventures that are taking ace at present”.
“We all know that there is no way enforce building regulations,” the iper said, “but surely there are me emergency regulations that mid be enforced immediately, pecially when the natural beauty : the island is being threatened.”
Pines may be lost
The first reaction to this editorial as a letter from a ‘Nature Lover’ iggesting that the Administration iculd be asked to set aside part of ie island’s Crown Land as a reserve • sanctuary.
“It may not be generally known,” ature Lover said, “but for its size orfolk Island has an unusually high rmber of birds and plants which are mnd nowhere else in the world.
“Unfortunately, some of these are ready extinct, as for example, the ird of Providence, and several 3wers and grasses; but it is not too te to save the rest.
“It is quite conceivable that in the 3t very distant future even the orfolk Pine may disappear as more ■eas are opened up for building, ;c. Already, hundreds of trees hich have been exposed to the eather because of the removal of ieir natural shelter, are covered with mt moss which is the first sign of ecay and eventual death.”
Nature Lover’s letter brought im mediate support from other Norfolk Islanders—but not only because they thought that the island’s natural beauty should be preserved for its own sake.
One islander pointed out that on an island as small as Norfolk, trees were the natural means of preventing evaporation and of conserving water.
He thought it would be interesting to compare the present rate of flow of the various creeks and the water level of wells with figures for, say, 10 years ago, before the island had be come seriously de-afforested.
mo ment, with unusually high rainfall, the water outlook is good,” he said, “but if we have a f ew dry seasons, it is the under ground water reserves that will be needed.
“This heavy rainfall has also shown up the damage which can be done on steep hillsides denuded of their natural cover, which normally would help to hold the soil from being washed away.”