New DoC chief Alastair Morrison. Picture / Mark Mitchell
The Department of Conservation's new head wants the agency to play a key role in fighting the effects of climate change.
Alastair Morrison, who has been appointed director-general after a stint as strategy and policy manager and acting chief executive, said it was his task to take the
department into new territory: managing DoC areas in a way to offset the effects of climate change.
"People now understand protecting our water and soil catchments and planting for carbon-banking are not just matters of social conscience, they are questions of our future and of economic investments," he said.
"If we don't invest in them, we won't have a future.
"And DoC, as manager of one third of New Zealand's land mass, can't pretend that it doesn't have a responsibility to manage for those issues and to deliver benefits - fresh water, soil regeneration and stability and flood control - by doing something to mitigate the effects of climate change."
He said the department's new focus would not detract from the work it has done and would continue to do.
"It won't take us away from the soft and cuddly work everyone loves us for, such as saving kiwi and kakapo, but it adds a layer to the job.
"This is what I've been appointed to do: to lead the department into this work without compromising the work we do to protect our absolutely unique birds, animals, plants and special places.
"DoC has set a course to plan ahead for the next 10 years to build on this work, so people recognise conservation is also about securing critical eco-systems."
Mr Morrison worked as a journalist for 28 years, including for a stint as Radio New Zealand's political editor. He said the career change was not unusual, given he was also interested in science journalism.
"The skills I learned in journalism have been very helpful, particularly with RNZ as political editor. I know the systems and networks and that's helped a lot."
He said the biggest obstacle in the climate change war was "this nonsense debate about whether science says there's such a thing as climate change".
"If we wait for absolute scientific proof, then almost by definition it's going to be too late. This is actually about risk management."
