Greening the foresters

Forest and Bird, Issue 279, 1 February 1996, Page 6

Greening the foresters

Kevin Smith

HOW SHOULD plantation forest managers respond if a population of a threatened species, such as kiwi or Hochstetter’s frog, is discovered in a pine forest? Who is responsible for curbing the spread of wilding trees from a plantation? What policy should New Zealand advocate internationally on forest issues? Are plantation monocultures an environmental problem? These and other questions

have been debated for more than a year by a working group of environmentalists and representatives of the New Zealand Forest Owners Association and the Farm Forestry Association. Emerging from these discussions and wider consultation has been an agreement on "Principles for Commercial Plantation Forest Management in New Zealand". The principles were formally launched last December. These principles build on, and are complementary to, the landmark New Zealand Forest Accord of 1991. While the accord safeguarded native forests and other defined natural areas from clearance for plantation forestry, the new voluntary agreement sets out principles for the management of New Zealand’s commercial plantation forests. The objectives of the agreement are "To promote understanding between the signatory parties with a view to New Zealand achieving environmental excellence in plantation forest management and participating as an effective advocate internationally for the sustainable management of plantation forest and the protection, preservation, and sustainable management of natural forests". The agreement will make it easier for environmentalists and plantation managers to sort out site-specific problems. If threatened species are found in a plantation, for example, then DoC will be consulted. If DoC considers the presence of the species to be significant, it will advise on management practices to protect the population. While WWF, Federated Mountain Clubs and the Maruia Society have joined Forest and Bird in signing up to the principles, ECO, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth issued a statement criticising the document. They believe the principles are weak, and do not give due recognition to the Treaty of Waitangi and to the social concerns of commu-

nities affected by forestry. Some will see merit in their argument, but Forest and Bird believes the principles are a step forward in the greening of New Zealand’s mainstream plantation industry. Two different schools of thought are developing in the international environmental community on the way ahead for forestry. Some groups are opposed to the planting of monocultures, clearcutting of plantations and the use of nonindigenous species in plantation forestry. They promote ecoforest management of natural forests and multi-species plantations of indigenous species. In the New Zealand context, surely the best model is for further expansion of plantations on previously cleared marginal hill country and the protection of all remaining natural forests. New Zealand’s plantation forests can provide a more environmentally acceptable source of wood than that coming from virtually every other country in the world. This

New Zealand model is not universally relevant but elements of our approach to forestry could be usefully followed by other countries.