WHEN IS A FOREST NOT A FOREST?

Forest and Bird, Volume 15, Issue 2, 1 May 1984, Page 38

WHEN IS A FOREST NOT A FOREST?

Native forest has been defined over the last 10 years to be woody vegetation exceeding 6 metres in height and covering more than 5% of the ground area (eg Forestry Development Conference 1974, John Nicholls 1976, King Country (1978) and Tongariro (1983) Land Use Studies). The Government’s 1978 Indigenous Forest Policy forbids the clear felling of State owned native forests unless other non-forested land is unavailable and only after social, environmental and economic factors are studied and demonstrated publically to be enhanced by the clearance. Unfortunately our branches have reported that this sensible Government policy is being violated in State Forests in Northland, Tongariro, Hawkes Bay, Nelson and Westland with continuing clearance of native forest and regenerating native forest. Violation is occurring in two main ways. Even though they exceed 6 metres in height, shrublands and regenerating forest are frequently cleared because they are considered to be only ‘"‘scrub’’. Remnants of native forest are also often cleared in "‘tidy up"’ activities. Our Society also wants the Indigenous Forest Policy to apply to all Crown owned native forests. This would force the Lands and Survey Department to justify the clearance of native forests on farm development blocks and could also control bush clearance’on Crown leasehold lands. An example is the extensive clearance of matai/kaikawaka/totara forest on the Raurimu and Taurewa land development blocks which adjoin Tongariro National Park. This has been widely criticised in the King Country. The clearance is destroying outstanding bush areas rich in native wildlife including kiwi, parakeet, kaka and robin. It is prime habitat for the endangered parasitic wood rose (Dactylanthus) and is of major soil and water and recreational value.