14 October 2013

The Gisborne District Council's environmental services manager believes the proposed national environmental standard  (NES) for plantation forestry could lower environmental standards for forestry in the district.

It would be a big mistake to consider erosion-prone hill country that has been "treated" with trees as "cured", and move on to the next property, he said.

Conservator Trevor Freeman told the New Zealand Resource Management conference in Gisborne that forestry has long been applied as a soil conservation tool, but "We must never forget that land that is vulnerable to soil erosion remains vulnerable beneath the trees."

"Incoming farmers and foresters have often not experienced soil erosion of a type and scale that was previously present in this district.

"They may not recognise the tell-tale signs, or believe or want to know the risks.

Mr Freeman said land use intensification was a continuous process because in reality there was no alternative to achieving the economic growth government was seeking.

Mr Freeman said foresters would like to think the erosion risk evaporated with tree planting but it did not.

"It's the nature of clear-fell harvesting that the erosion control benefits are removed by the chainsaw for seven years or so.

"The roots hang on for a while but still leave a gap of four years when there's no more protection than for the farmland next door."

Then there are the destabilising effects of earthworks associated with harvesting, he said.

In the Gisborne District in 2012 consents were issued for 3000ha of harvesting and 97km of roading.

"So, not so much 'erosion-cured' as just a different form of erosion management."

Source: Gisborne Herald. To read the full story, click here.