The forestry sector is important to Otago's economy. However, forestry can harm our environment, especially water quality.

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There is over 125,000 ha of plantation forestry which supports forestry personnel or contractors, seed and nursery suppliers, downstream sawmilling and manufacturing industries plus the export ports at Port Chalmers and Bluff. A majorityof this area is in pine plantations. 

The forest industry consists of large companies such as Ernslaw One, Wenita, City Forests , Rayonier Matariki Forests, and Port Blakely plus numerous smaller owners and farmers who have forestry blocks within their farms. 

As well as contributing to the Otago economy, Forestry has been viewed as having a positive effect on the environment by capturing carbon, reducing erosion on hill country as well as having moderating effects on water flows and providing amenity and biodiversity values. 

However, all forests must be well-managed to ensure any adverse effects on the environment are managed. For example, assessing wilding conifer risk, establishing setbacks from roads, dwellings and waterways, and managing harvests. Harvesting presents challenges such as sediment affecting water quality from clear felling and the roading networks created. 

Forestry Definitions (NES-CF)

It is important to understand how a forest and associated forestry activities are defined, as these will determine which rules and regulations apply. The following definitions meet the criteria of the NES-CF Regulations. 

Rules and Regulations

The National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) came into effect on 1 May 2018. This was amended to the National Environmental Standard for Commercial Forestry (NES-CF) on 3 November 2023, adding exotic continuous-cover forests (carbon forests) to its scope. 

The Regional Water Plan also applies in some instances where a regional rule is more stringent than a national rule (the NES-CF), listed within Schedule 17. These stringent rules relate to sediment discharges and bed disturbance to protect threatened indigenous fish (i.e galaxiid species), many of which are found only in Otago.

If the intended forestry activity does not meet the criteria of ‘commercial forestry’ or ‘exotic continuous-cover forestry’ (i.e the harvesting of wilding pines), NES-CF regulations do not apply. However, existing district and regional plan rules will apply to the activities and effects outside the scope of the NES-CF. For further assistance, refer to the flowchart.

Notification

If you are undertaking certain commercial forestry activities, notification must be provided to regional council (and in some cases district council). You can notify us via the web portal below.

Forestry and water quality

Although harvesting only has a small impact over the life of a forest, its short-term impact can damage the environment and breach Water Plan and NES-CF rules. 

  • Sediment and debris can enter waterways during harvesting, which can damage aquatic habitat.  
  • Excessive woody debris can damage streams and reduce the amount of oxygen available. 
  • Heavy machinery can damage soils, vegetation, habitat, and stream banks and beds. 
  • Leaving unstable or older trees in riparian zones can be destructive if the tree roots lift and destroy the stream bank. 
  • Poor harvesting techniques, such as dragging logs through a waterway, can damage the bed and bank and release sediment into the water. 
  • Harvesting can cause soil erosion and sediment entering waterways. 

How can I protect water quality?

Perhaps amend below – refer to the forestry guide page?

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has developed resources to guide forestry activities. Most of the guidance from the older NES–PF is still relevant. Each activity guide explains the relevant NES-PF regulations, including:   

  • the activity definition – what is and isn’t covered by the NES-PF   
  • the conditions you must meet for that activity to be permitted   
  • how to determine whether you need resource consent  

You can find more guidance on the MPI “Guidance for forestry activities" page here for all forestry activities. 

The New Zealand Forest Owners Association (NZFOA) also have resources available on Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) and road engineering for commercial forestry operators. These resources can be found here.

Your own forestry industry can be of help too. 

What happens if things go wrong? 

Our role is to make sure you adhere to the Resource Management Act 1991.  

If the rules are broken and the environment is harmed, we have the options shown in the "Enforcement Process" flowchart.  

Note there is an updated version of this on the live site

 

The following activities might breach the water quality rules:  

  • Work that exposes soil, such as forest harvesting, site development earthworks, cultivation, or using sacrificial or fallow paddocks. These activities are prohibited unless sediment discharge is controlled.  
  • Working in waterways.  
  • Skid and slash pile failures (bird nests).  
  • Slash mobilised to waterways.  
  • Depositing and leaving slash in waterways.