State miner plans predator fence

Solid Energy has announced plans to install the West Coast's first predator fence, protecting 20ha of kiwi and giant snail habitat.

The state miner yesterday unveiled extensive measures to relocate two species of giant snails.

It believed that in 30 years' time, the impact of its mining would not only be offset - there should be a net conservation gain.

Solid Energy already has consent to relocate a species of giant snail at the Cypress mine site, northeast of Westport.

It handed in documents yesterday to the Department of Conservation, asking to move another population at Mt Augustus in Buller.

Solid Energy environmental manager Mark Pizey said the Cypress snails and juvenile kiwi would be in a 20ha area surrounded by an excluder fence like the one at Wellington's Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. It would be fairly close to the mined area.

"It's the first ever to be proposed on the West Coast."

The juvenile kiwi would be relocated once they were big enough to fend off predators in the wild.

Forest and Bird is currently appealing the decision to let the Cypress mine go ahead to the High Court, but Mr Pizey said some work was proceeding, including the design of measures to protect the snails.

At Mt Augustus, Solid Energy already has consent to mine, but not to move the giant snails located there.

The application for relocation was left with DOC yesterday.

Solid Energy had provided DOC with the outcome of two surveys on the areas it proposed working.

They assessed the potential of relocation habitats.

Forest and Bird believes Solid Energy needs permission under the Wildlife Act for the Mt Augustus relocation, but the miner believes the Coal Mining Act supersedes it.

A report from DOC scientist Kath Walker said a relocation would not work, and warned of the first state-sanctioned extinction.

- NZPA