5 Mar 2013

National park timber poacher to pay $4000

9:58 pm on 5 March 2013

A man who pleaded guilty to milling native timber in a national park has to pay more than $4000 in reparation to the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Stephen Albert Fahey pleaded guilty at the Ohakune District Court last Thursday to illegally milling matai and rata timber - in contravention of laws drawn up to protect forests.

Officials found that Fahey was trying to sell sawn indigenous timber which had been milled on his property - without approval or a registered sawmill.

Forestry investigators raided his property - which had a portable sawmill in a shed - and found rata that had been dragged from a nearby indigenous forest.

They also found evidence that Fahey had sold sawn matai to a timber merchant.

The ministry says the man aware of his obligations under the Forests Act - and has received warnings over 10 years to get approval to harvest and mill indigenous timber.