20 July 2011
A Nelson forestry company will get better access through Mt Richmond Forest Park conservation land in return for help with pest control and road maintenance, under a new agreement which will also guarantee public access, according to an article in the Nelson Mail.
Under a proposed 10-year memorandum of understanding, DOC will consider access issues for Nelson Forests Ltd operations through Mt Richmond Forest Park or other conservation areas, in return for assistance with wilding pine control, road maintenance, and compensation for lost conservation values.Nelson Forests holds four Crown Forest licences for areas adjoining or close to Mt Richmond Forest Park: Golden Downs West, Golden Downs East, Rai and Wairau.
DOC Motueka office area manager Martin Rodd said applications and environmental impact assessments would now be considered in the context of conservation values across the entire park, rather than on a case-by-case basis.
Nelson Forests will maintain access for public vehicles on agreed roads."By working with Nelson Forests under the memorandum, we will be able to provide much better public access over the long term," he said.
Key examples included Wai-iti Rd, which provided access to the Gordon Range, Mt Arthur Rd and Wangapeka Rd, he said.
The memorandum acknowledges that Nelson Forests' plantations may contribute to the spreading of wilding trees, but also that several problems came from conifers the Crown planted before the licence areas were established.
Mr Rodd said that when privatisation of Crown land occurred in 1989, difficulties in surveying the complex forest boundaries mean permanent access rights over the various roads were not formalised. Existing roads serving Nelson Forests plantations run through conservation land and vice versa.
He said he didn't want the public to get the perception that DOC was "selling out" because it didn't have enough money to maintain the roads. The intention was equal benefits to both parties, and it was about addressing historical factors and future wilding issues in a way "we're all happy about, and not pointing fingers".
The work has been endorsed by the Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board, and the document is now going through the final stages of sign-off.
Source: Article by Sarah Young, Nelson Mail. To read the full story, click here.