{
  "id": 17356599,
  "title": "In 1978, barefoot botanist Stephen King and protesters camped in Pureora’s tōtara canopy; logging halted that year and ended by 1983",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/31/in-1978-barefoot-botanist-stephen-king-and-protesters-camped-in",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-31T06:30:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/in-1978-barefoot-botanist-stephen-king-and-protesters-camped-in-pureora-s-totara-canopy-logging-halted-that-year-and-ended-by-1983-101793362343760.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In January 1978, conservationists scaled the towering trees of Pureora forest in New Zealand to protest logging activities. Among them was a botanist named Stephen King, who demonstrated the protest barefoot. The protesters constructed a platform in ancient totara trees and camped there to halt the logging of these trees. The New Zealand Department of Conservation noted that this protest marked a turning point in the effort to protect Pureora Forest. Tree-cutting operations were halted that year and permanently stopped by the early 1980s. The Pureora Forest, located in the central North Island, is home to indigenous Podocarp trees like totara, rimu, matai, and kahikatea. The forest provides a habitat for various wildlife, including the endangered kōkako. The protest gained national attention, and after extensive discussions, the government established Pureora State Forest Park and implemented a three-year logging moratorium. Although logging continued in some areas, the moratorium was a significant victory for conservationists. The conflict also sparked economic discussions, as the logging industry provided jobs and its end impacted local employment. Today, the Forest Park remains a testament to the forest logging history and offers visitors a chance to see remnants of the past, including old logging equipment and the former loggers' home.",
  "summary": "In 1978, Stephen King and fellow conservationists camped in Pureora’s ancient tōtara trees to obstruct logging.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}