Government’s forestry announcement leaves unanswered questions in Whanganui and Ruapheu

Blair Jamieson says blanket planting of productive land is a no-go. Photo / Bevan Conley

Local councils are set to have more control over the planting of forests - news welcomed by elected officials but questioned by a Rangitīkei-based forestry chief executive.

Under new government legislation, the environmental effects of permanent pine forests will now be managed the same way as plantation forests.

Forestry Minister Peeni Henare said that meant standards such as ensuring firebreaks and rules planting next to rivers, lakes and wetlands would be required for any new forestry conversions.

“These changes are about getting the right tree in the right place, by seeing fewer pine forests planted on farmland and more on less productive land,” Henare said.

“We are empowering local councils to decide which land can be used for plantation and carbon forests through the resource consent process.”

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton said he welcomed any government initiative that gave councils more “teeth”.

“If we can pick and choose somewhat as to where forestry plantation will take, that’s good news,” he said.

“It’s not like we’re opposed to the ultimate aim of emissions reductions, it’s about trees in the right place and how they impact the local economy.”

While farmers remained free to sell their land to whoever they liked, he assumed there would be more planning consent to take into account for potential buyers, Kirton said.

Tāmata Hauhā founder and chief executive Blair Jamieson said he saw the announcement as largely reactionary.

He said putting carbon forestry into the plantation category would put more pressure on councils, some of whom didn’t know how to deal with forestry anyway.

“A blanket approach across the board is actually going to hurt a lot of positive forms of forestry,” Jamieson said.

“They (the Government) haven’t thought about agroforestry, they haven’t thought about permanent polyculture opportunities and they’ve treated everything as if it’s a pine forest.

“If I want to plant poplars on the side of a hill and that meets the definition of a forest, is that going to have to get council approval? It’s all just cart before the horse stuff.”

Blanket planting of productive land was a no-go and his company wouldn’t do it, but every time the Government tinkered with policy it “costs everyone money”, Jamieson said.

“Our recommendation is to have a mature conversation, sit back, make a plan as an industry, change it (legislation) once and leave it.”

Whanganui deputy mayor Helen Craig said environmental impacts of forestry would be largely handled by the regional council - Horizons.

“We don’t really have anything to do with regulating what happens on a farm at all.

“On the face of it, this latest announcement appears to be going in the right direction, though.

“Forestry in the right place definitely has a role to play but there is a big impact if it’s taking over entire farms.”

Horizons regional councillor Alan Taylor said he thought the announcement had been brought forward as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle but there was a lot for councils to work through in relation to that event.

“We haven’t had a proper opportunity to talk about it (the government’s announcement). There are so many interested parties involved and there will be a long and fairly intense discussion, I would say. We haven’t got any position as yet.”