Forest and Bird fight planned mine

Forest and Bird says the mine would harm the Kiwi on Denniston Plateau. Photo / supplied.

The Forest and Bird Society is rallying against a proposal for a new coal mine in the Buller coalfields.

Australian company Bathurst Resources hopes to dig an open-cast mine on conservation estate in the Denniston plateau.

The mine would produce around 1 million tonnes of coal a year.

However, Forest and Bird Society spokeswoman Debs Martin told Radio New Zealand the mine would be extremely harmful to the region's biodiversity, which includes Great-Spotted Kiwi.

Ms Martin said New Zealand should be looking to phase out coal-mining rather than expanding the industry.

- NZHeraldstaff