Some Good Conservation News – Environmental Defence Society
The Government has today announced it will be investing $19 million in improving biodiversity in national parks and other key visitor destinations. The money will come from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) and be used for predator and pest control.
An additional $13 million will be invested in tourism infrastructure, including upgrading huts and resolving the backlog in Milford Sound concessions.
All international visitors pay the IVL, which has recently been increased to $100 (from $35). EDS submitted in support of that increase and that it should be used to fund conservation.
“Today’s announcement is a good start. Conservation is in desperate need of more money and this funding will help slow the spread of predators and invasive plant species imperilling our indigenous biodiversity,” says Environmental Defence Society CEO Gary Taylor.
“But it is by no means enough. More systemic investment is required to ensure that indigenous biodiversity is maintained and restored.
“People come to this country to see our natural beauty and wildlife so an investment in conservation is an investment in economic growth.
“In the coming years, the newly increased IVL is estimated to return approximately $230 million per annum. We expect that more substantial additional contributions to conservation will follow.
“Indeed, there is a compelling case for giving the Department of Conservation all future IVL revenue so it can deliver for indigenous biodiversity and the economy,” concluded Mr Taylor.
That’s nice but what about the super yacht Sea Eagle being allowed to tootle around the Hauraki Gulf with a dirty hull. There might well be some more ‘diversity’ settling into a nice new niche in the Gulf, brought here by the Sea Eagle.
Of course, the owners are very wealthy so same rules don’t apply to them.
They have been told twice to de-foul the hull at sea and failed to comply.