Esk Valley Orchardist Malcolm Davie showing the destruction of his property, his anger with forestry slash and how to recover. Video / Mike Scott
Forestry minister Stuart Nash has “outraged” the cyclone-battered East Coast-Tairāwhiti community by saying he understood about 40 per cent of the wood debris that destroyed property and knocked out vital infrastructure was from forest harvesting, says environmentalist Professor Dame Anne Salmond.
Nash, who has an advanced forestry science degree andhas previously worked in the forestry sector, said on RNZ’s Checkpoint on February 16, following Cyclone Gabrielle, that “I need to see the final investigation into this [debris], but my understanding is it’s about 40 per cent from harvesting operations and the rest is indigenous [native trees].”
Herald inquiries show that on February 9, Gisborne District Council sent to Nash and other Cabinet ministers the results of scientific analysis of wood debris on East Coast beaches from Cyclone Hale, which hit just a month before Gabrielle. The analysis showed the debris was overwhelmingly from plantation forest.
Salmond, environmentalist, academic anthropologist and East Coast resident, said she believed that “for local people dealing with huge piles of forestry slash, deposited on their paddocks, wrecking crops, houses and farm buildings and taking out bridges and roads leaving many stranded”, Nash’s statement was an “outrage”.
“For a minister to attempt to mislead the public in the midst of such a catastrophe is unacceptable,” she said was her opinion of the comment.
The Herald asked Nash’s office why he cited the 40 per cent figure when his office had received the results of Gisborne District Council’s analysis after Cyclone Hale in late January. The minister was also asked about his source for the estimate of “40 per cent”.
A written response from Nash’s office said there were “a couple of important distinctions” involved.
“The comments the minister made on the 16th were an initial assessment from a forester on the ground around the immediate impact of Cyclone Gabrielle - not referencing Cyclone Hale.
“Also ... the interim assessment you are referring to (the council’s scientific analysis) is in reference to Cyclone Hale.
“That was an initial assessment from a forester on the ground in the immediate after of Cyclone Gabrielle (not Hale) but Minister Nash is very happy for that number to be proven wrong when the full assessments from Cyclone Gabrielle come back.”
The Gisborne District Council told the Herald it was still in the early stages of assessing the impact of wood debris in Cyclone Gabrielle, which hit less than a month after Hale.
Professor Dame Anne Salmond. Photo / Sarah Ivey
A petition signed by around 9000 Tairāwhiti people was presented to the Gisborne Council on January 27 after Cyclone Hale, calling for an independent inquiry into land use in the region. It had already been pummelled several times by forestry waste during storms, causing many millions of dollars of damage.
Also after Cyclone Hale in January, the Environmental Defence Society called for a public inquiry into forestry practices on the East Coast’s highly fragile and erodible soils.
Nash was reported at the time saying no inquiry was necessary. But last week after Cyclone Gabrielle, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins announced an immediate ministerial inquiry into the forestry debris and slash issue in Tairawhiti.
Nash’s office’s response also said: “The level of woody debris that we have seen from both recent extreme weather events are unacceptable.
“Woody debris and sediment are particular issues for these communities following storms. More than 10,000 people in Tairāwhiti have petitioned for land use to be better managed. The inquiry that we announced last week is responding to these very real concerns.”
Asked to detail the Napier MP’s previous professional work in the forestry sector, Nash’s office referenced a 2014 media profile which said “he worked in forestry in Japan, for the Taranaki Regional Council, Fletcher Challenge and Carter Holt Harvey”.
His office also noted a 2006 announcement of Nash’s appointment as a director of strategic developments at AUT University, which said Nash had previously “worked in international business strategy and development, including Fletchers and Carter Holt Harvey”.
Nash has master’s degrees in forestry science and management.
