East Coast MP ‘misguided’ over Emissions Reduction Plan: Mana Taiao

"To pretend we can keep shallow-rooting heavy pine trees on thin, erosion-prone soils in a changing climate is irresponsible fantasy," says Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti spokesperson Hera Ngata-Gibson.

Residents group Mana Taiao believes East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick is “misguided” in her interpretation of the Emissions Reduction Plan released this week by Government.

The group also believes she is “not being honest about the reality faced by local landowners”.

A representative from Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti met with the MP this week and she agreed the footprint of pasture and pine in the region would be reduced, MTT spokesperson Hera Ngata-Gibson said.

“The impression was that Dana agreed with the many recommendations from the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use that there needs to be a sensible plan to manage the transition required.

“She said she had been struggling to get clarity from officials on whether anything was being done, which again was disappointing and suggests to many of us that this region really isn’t a priority for the new Government,” Ngata-Gibson said.

“The information Dana provided to us was mostly about how the Government was encouraging more pine planting by reducing regulations. That might be fine in the Central Plateau, but is the last thing Tairāwhiti needs.

“There is some new public investment into local catchment groups, which is great, but there are regional rules coming that will fundamentally change the economy of the region.

“To pretend we can keep shallow-rooting heavy pine trees on thin, erosion-prone soils in a changing climate is irresponsible fantasy,” she said.

“The biophysical limits are very clear in the science and the issues are too urgent to play games.”

Ngata-Gibson said a paper published in the Journal of Applied Ecology last month presents evidence based on real-world data from Tairāwhiti.

“The take-home message is that the impacts of agriculture or exotic forestry are much worse in catchments with the soft geology that makes up most of our region,” she said.

“Government policy over the past 100 years created the current crisis and it needs to treat Tairāwhiti as a special case.”

Kirkpatrick said Ngata-Gibson was not at the meeting with her this week.

“My role in those meetings is to listen. We agreed that there are some parts of the MILU [Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use] report that are being done already, but I don’t think we should elevate that to me agreeing with everything,” Kirkpatrick said.

“I would argue that the Government’s delay in dealing with this issue is to ensure we get the right people around the table to have the very discussion she alludes to. In fact, I have been advocating for that for months.

“All the parties in the future of our region need to agree on a way forward. That’s why I say the balance is critical.”