Conservation campaigning on the West Coast has never been easy. There is a strong pioneering tradition. Exploiting natural resources is seen as a birthright. Outspoken conservationists are few and far between and are often singled out for criticism if they speak out.
Carey Dillon of Kumara has for 30 years been a leading conservation campaigner against the burning off regenerating rimu forests (for pine plantations) and against the wasteful destruction of ancient rimu trees to produce low grade timber used for framing. More recently he has been a leading critic of the expansion of dairy farming on the Coast that is damaging wetlands and lake and stream margins and now threatens water quality in many West Coast rivers and lakes such as Lake Brunner, Lake Haupiri and Lake Poerua. Last year Carey led the charge that stopped Transit NZ (now NZ Transport Agency) logging ancient rimu and kahikatea along the Haast highway that they claimed was threatening vehicles!
Carey and his wife Lynn are self employed. All their conservation campaigning is self funded. They craft magnificant rimu bowls from the old waste wood they find lying in old logging areas. He has an international reputation for the quality and craftsmanship of these bowls. In recent years they have diversified into taking and selling some of the most beautiful nature landscape and wildlife photos that I have ever seen.
The economic recession is hitting them badly with a big downturn in sales because of the drop in tourists to the West Coast. If you need to find a wonderful nature gift for your friend or family, you should check out their brilliant website www.careydillon.com and see the superb collection of photos and wood craft on sale here.
Helping Carey and Lynn is one small way that Forest and Bird members living in the city and away from the West Coast can help conservationists living in this frontier part of New Zealand that contains half of New Zealand's remaining native forest.
Carey and Lynn do not know that I have posted this but I think it is important to make other nature lovers and conservation campaigners aware of their situation and invite you to help.