Carbon News
  • Members
    • Login
      Forgot Password?
    • Not a member? Subscribe
    • Forgot Password
      Back to Login
    • Not a member? Subscribe
  • Home
  • New Zealand
    • Politics
    • Energy
    • Agriculture
    • Carbon emissions
    • Transport
    • Forestry
    • Business
  • Markets
    • Analysis
    • NZ carbon price
  • International
    • Australia
    • United States
    • China
    • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • Canada
    • Asia
    • Pacific
    • Antarctic/Arctic
    • Africa
    • South America
    • United Nations
  • News Direct
    • Media releases
    • Climate calendar
  • About Carbon News
    • Contact us
    • Advertising
    • Subscribe
    • Service
    • Policies

Gisborne cross-sector group established to guide landowners of highly erodible land

7 Oct 2024

PHOTO: Gisborne District Council: Dr Murray Cave

 

By Zita Campbell, Local Democracy Reporter

As the Government looks to take control of national forestry regulations from councils, questions linger on what it will mean for Gisborne.

A research paper released online last month showed that Gisborne region was the only council that developed rules in a “strategic and principled” way after law changes in 2018 enabled councils to set their regulations.

 

Lincoln University ecologists and planners are behind the research paper entitled: A stringent failure: Regulators do not use available tools to protect aquatic ecosystems from clearcut forestry impacts in New Zealand.

 

They are calling for an urgent review of forestry plantation regulations as the research shows current standards are not doing enough to protect aquatic ecosystems nationwide.

 

Mayor Rehette Stoltz told RNZ that Gisborne needs to have bespoke, fit-for-purpose rules in the region, and Forest Owners Association chief executive Dr Elizabeth Heeg said there could be potential for special provisions around tertiary mudstone, one of the problematic soils causing erosion in the region.

 

Heeg also estimates that some forestry companies could retire up to 20-30% of their land if they transition the region’s worst eroding land into permanent vegetation cover.

 

Gisborne District Council is planning for these land transitions as part of land overlay framework Overlay 3b.

 

Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) asked Forestry Minister Todd McClay whether the proposed changes to national forestry standards will consider research on how forestry slash affects water ecosystems and whether special provisions could be made for tertiary mudstone.

 

Additionally, McClay was asked whether forestry and farm owners would be compensated for the land they won’t be able to use if retiring highly erodible land for vegetation cover takes place.

 

McClay did not answer questions about compensation but said the Government is proposing several changes to the national direction, including amendments to the national environmental standards for commercial forestry (NES-CF).

 

He said these changes would enable council plans to have more stringency than the NES-CF where required and is based upon “clear evidence”.

 

He acknowledged the council’s current plans for Overlay 3b and said the changes will ensure that there will be a range of tools available to central and local government for forestry and land use policy.

 

The council recently set up a Transition Advisory Group (TAG) including forestry owners, council staff, the Ministry of Primary Industries, people with farming interests and Māori landowners.

 

Acting director liveable communities Kerry Hudson said in a statement that the purpose of TAG is to develop methods to help transition steep erosion-prone land to vegetation cover.

 

The group aims to hold the soil in place and thereby significantly reduce the impacts of forest harvest every 24-30 years.

 

“The guidance from the group will ultimately help reduce soil erosion and improve water quality, which in turn will enhance land, aquatic and marine biodiversity,” she said.

 

The council have used modelling and spatial data to show land with high landslide susceptibility and connectivity to waterways.

 

Hudson said some high-risk land is already eroding, including some areas that are “void of trees” as they “have slipped off steep slopes”, and some soils and woody debris which have already slipped into waterways.

 

“Much of the land shows slip scarring or gullying.”

 

She also said some trees are not suitable for harvest because of their stunted condition or are unharvestable because of their location.

 

“One of the roles of the TAG is to help identify the best transition option for each area,” she said.

 

Director sustainable futures Jo Noble said that regardless of the potential changes to national forestry rules, the work of the group will remain relevant and extremely useful.

 

She said from early council discussions with the Government, they are confident that officials understand the challenge posed by Tairāwhiti’s geology and terrain and are actively exploring ways to provide for this.

 

Noble said the best outcomes are usually achieved if land use changes occur voluntarily. However, because of the significance of the issue, there is a need for some form of regulatory framework rather than reliance on voluntary approaches.



Related Topics:   Forestry Politics

More >
Forestry
More >

Farming lobby attacks ‘loopholes’ in carbon forestry limits

7 May 2025

Beef + Lamb New Zealand is urging the government to close what it says are loopholes in new guidance around limits on carbon forestry.

Govt on track to ban farm-to-forest conversions - McClay

2 May 2025

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has confirmed that restrictions on full farm-to-forest conversions on LUC 1-6 farmland will be in place this year.

Commissioner calls for urgent reform of carbon forestry in ETS

10 Apr 2025

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment is calling on the Government to remove forestry from the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, warning that the country’s flagship climate policy is entrenching risky land use decisions and undermining long-term emissions reductions.

'Don't tinker with the ETS': forestry groups

10 Apr 2025

Foresters have hit back against the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s call to remove forestry from the Emissions Trading Scheme, saying the move would threaten New Zealand’s climate goals.

Slash under the Mangatokerau Bridge on Paroa Road

East Coast advocates join calls to take forestry out of the ETS

10 Apr 2025

Sustainable land-use advocates in Tairāwhiti are demanding immediate government action on the Environment Commissioner's recommendation to phase forestry out of the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Experts back scepticism about carbon forestry

10 Apr 2025

Experts from around the country agree that the Environment Commissioner's 'Alt-F Reset' report is "incredibly timely" as the world faces unprecedented climate change.

Govt plan for forestry on Crown land raises questions for the Emissions Trading Scheme

4 Apr 2025

By Liz Kivi | The government’s latest plan for carbon forestry includes a large chunk of planting on Crown land, with 155,000 hectares of exotic forestry projected to enter the Emissions Trading Scheme by 2042.

Govt releases detail on ETS forestry restrictions

28 Mar 2025

The government has released more detail on new restrictions for farm conversions to exotic forestry in the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which foresters say will prevent another planting boom.

Carbon credit deal to provide windfall for Maori landowners

21 Mar 2025

By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporting | An isolated Maori Land Trust in the central North Island has sealed a groundbreaking carbon credit deal, securing millions for its 4000 owners and tens of thousands of beneficiaries.

Govt calls for tenders to improve remote sensing for carbon storage

18 Mar 2025

The government has issued a request for proposals to help it improve how carbon stored in forests can be measured by remote-sensing.

Carbon News

Subscriptions, Advertising & General

manager@carbonnews.co.nz

Editorial

news@carbonnews.co.nz

We welcome comments, news tips and suggestions - please also use this address to submit all media releases for News Direct).

Useful Links
Home About Carbon News Contact us Advertising Subscribe Service Policies
New Zealand
Politics Energy Agriculture Carbon emissions Transport Forestry Business
International
Australia United States China Europe United Kingdom Canada Asia Pacific Antarctic/Arctic Africa South America United Nations
Home
Markets
Analysis NZ carbon price
News Direct
Media releases Climate calendar

© 2008-2025 Carbon News. All Rights Reserved. • Your IP Address: 18.97.9.169 • User account: Sign In

Please wait...
Audit log: