Thread: Forest & Bird v The Wapiti Herd

Twig n tweet are also very adept at being granted environment court taxpayer funded fonance to bring these types of court cases. Yet another drain on your money.

Never forget Eugenie Sage called us "cunters" on national tv during the Tahr campaign.....

Originally Posted by matagouri

Never forget Eugenie Sage called us "cunters" on national tv during the Tahr campaign.....

She was projecting a bit there don't you think? :-)

Originally Posted by Maxx

Yep, thats all achingly reasonable, but I do wonder how that approach goes when dealing with a bad faith counterparty? The best use of the high ground is when you can machine-gun the attackers, surely?

Unfortunately that's correct - the biggest issue with F&B is as others have noted, they will object to hunter-lead initiatives just because they are hunter-lead... Rather than working towards the betterment of the environment hand in hand in a lot of projects like pest control for things like wasps mice rats and stoats, or the hut building and enhancement project on Stewart they would rather score points through binning the projects and them not going ahead...

Originally Posted by No.3

Unfortunately that's correct - the biggest issue with F&B is as others have noted, they will object to hunter-lead initiatives just because they are hunter-lead... Rather than working towards the betterment of the environment hand in hand in a lot of projects like pest control for things like wasps mice rats and stoats, or the hut building and enhancement project on Stewart they would rather score points through binning the projects and them not going ahead...

Because they are ideologies that only pretend to care about conservation.

This sounds like good news to me, posted today on Wapiti Foundation Facebook page

Friday 10 May 2024

Forest & Bird and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation have agreed to pause legal proceedings over the management agreement between DOC and the Foundation over how the wapiti herd is managed.

Forest & Bird earlier asked for a judicial review of the management agreement between DOC and Fiordland Wapiti Foundation, which allows the Wapiti Foundation to control deer numbers, manage a wapiti herd, and carry out other pest-control and conservation work in Fiordland National Park.

The parties have now asked the High Court to temporarily adjourn the proceedings until a later date.

The pause will allow the parties and DOC to investigate a way of managing wapiti which meets both organisations’ interests.

The wapiti management agreement will remain in force during the adjournment.

Forest & Bird and the Wapiti Foundation are pleased with the pause on legal action.

“Forest & Bird welcomes the opportunity to work with the Wapiti Foundation and DOC on this critical issue,” Forest & Bird Chief Executive Nicola Toki said.

“There have been inaccurate suggestions that Forest & Bird’s legal action is aimed at exterminating wapiti, with some speculation the judicial review could even mean the end for all game animals,” Ms Toki said.

“I want to be clear that these suggestions are incorrect. Forest & Bird initiated the legal action to clarify the legality of the wapiti management agreement.

“Rather than going to court, we now want to discuss the issue with the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation and DOC to agree on a solution that protects our precious native biodiversity and maintains the integrity of Fiordland National Park.

“We don’t believe that the solution would require the extermination of wapiti. We expect the herd will continue to provide an important hunting opportunity and the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation could continue its valuable conservation work,“ said Ms Toki.

Both organisations agree that the adjournment will also allow them to explore other solutions, including the possibility of designating the wapiti herd as a Herd of Special interest as defined under the Game Animal Council Act 2013.

Wapiti Foundation spokesman Roy Sloan says the decision to pause legal action is good news.

“The Wapiti Foundation stands for conservation and hunting and it would be disappointing for two conservation groups to end up in court arguing over who has the best solution to protecting our precious environment.

“A judicial review would waste Forest & Bird's, the Wapiti Foundation’s and DOC’s money and time, diverting funding and key personnel from the front line where all three organisations are doing much needed conservation work,” Mr Sloan said.

“The Foundation’s work is a great example of hunters giving back to conservation and the wider community.

“What we do in Fiordland has proven the most effective way of reducing and managing deer numbers, as well as trapping predators and maintaining tracks and huts for all park visitors.

“This is both protecting Fiordland’s ecosystem and saving DOC significant amounts of money, which is important when the department is facing hefty budget cuts and hundreds of job cuts.

“We look forward to finding a solution that not only meets the needs of both organisations, but more importantly, safeguards our precious wildlife and flora,” Mr Sloan said.

Seems like F&B have worked out how unpopular their move was.

Herd of special interest, here wapiti come!

The Sika Foundation man did a chat at BoP NZDA meeting last Tues - they are apparently looking longer term at getting Sika into the HOSI setup as well. There was talk that if the legal action went ahead with the Wap herd that Sika would be next so it's a positive move I think (as long as it doesn't result in more animosity and more potshots at deer management in the future).

One thing that needs to be noted, is that on the face of it F&B actually have a fair point about the legality of the current management setup - it isn't right and it does need sorting as an adhoc management structure with no legal foundation or protection just doesn't work in this era.

Wow, so they figured the $100k+ for a judicial review might not be good value for money? I wonder what the grass roots members thought about it. I'm sore my daughter wouldn't agree if she heard about it

Identify your target beyond all doubt because you never miss (right?) and I'll be missed.

Originally Posted by No.3

The Sika Foundation man did a chat at BoP NZDA meeting last Tues - they are apparently looking longer term at getting Sika into the HOSI setup as well. There was talk that if the legal action went ahead with the Wap herd that Sika would be next so it's a positive move I think (as long as it doesn't result in more animosity and more potshots at deer management in the future).

One thing that needs to be noted, is that on the face of it F&B actually have a fair point about the legality of the current management setup - it isn't right and it does need sorting as an adhoc management structure with no legal foundation or protection just doesn't work in this era.

Fuck That!!! DOC says were going to 1080 this bit or that bit Sika foundation then has to choose a spot to 1080 - easy scenario to envisage

watched an 1hr long speak cam speedy gave at a deer stalkers club and the whole to many hinds doesn't ring true where ive hunted sika and the ideal number is 2 or 3 hinds to 1 stag how do you achieve this? yup only by culling

From his profile page
"His training and work experience over the past 30 years through Massey University , New Zealand Forest Service , Department of Conservation
and in the private and corporate sectors has given him a wealth of knowledge and practical experience."
so greenie in a different suit

Originally Posted by Carbine

Fuck That!!! DOC says were going to 1080 this bit or that bit Sika foundation then has to choose a spot to 1080 - easy scenario to envisage

watched an 1hr long speak cam speedy gave at a deer stalkers club and the whole to many hinds doesn't ring true where ive hunted sika and the ideal number is 2 or 3 hinds to 1 stag how do you achieve this? yup only by culling

From his profile page
"His training and work experience over the past 30 years through Massey University , New Zealand Forest Service , Department of Conservation
and in the private and corporate sectors has given him a wealth of knowledge and practical experience."
so greenie in a different suit

Cam speaks way more sense than you.
He talks as a ecologist, scientist, and a hunter.
He sees situations for what they are, has scientific evidence to back up his comments, and doesn't have blinkers on.

I will never trust twig n tweet. I think they will still hold the threat to waps and other herds just waiting for a weakness. International concern is our great ally in this dirty game.

7mmwsm you are right - as hunters we should not fear culling of deer numbers - DOC have stated many times and on their web site they will not use 1080 to control deer numbers -so it will be Contract hunters and helicopter shoot to kill - now they dont have a big budget so I believe it will be somewhat limited and focused on high priority areas - recreational hunters cannot control the high deer numbers we have thats fact - we are day dreaming if we think that - but we can try to get hunters a better deal to see if that lifts hunter success - better access - better hunter education - and no bountys tails some payment to rec hunters a complete waste of money and DOC know it - simply not going to happen - a meat / pet food industry so hunters can sell deer would be a help - but guys and girls we have the best hunting now than we have ever had - if you had tried in the seventies in the height of the helicopter days deer were damn hard to find - get out there and enjoy

As far as I am aware, the Erma review and subsequent HSNO regulations forbid the use of 1080 poison to target deer.