... and in the Bay of Plenty

Forest and Bird, Issue 292, 1 May 1999, Page 5

... and in the Bay of Plenty

—Kevin Smith.

egenerating forest shrubR::::: recommended for protection have been crushed by Tasman Forest Industries near Kawerau. The company is one of the Fletcher group of companies which is signatory to the New Zealand Forest Accord to protect native forest from felling. The chief executive of Tasman Forest Industries, Barry Poole, has vigorously defended the clearance, arguing it was only ‘blackberry and scrub’. However, a report by a

Department of Conservation planner, Fiona Hennessey, identifies the cleared vegetation as predominately successional forest shrubland — developing forest — with emergent rewarewa, kamahi, kanuka and mamaku over a manuka canopy. The cleared vegetation was part of an area recommended for protection by the Department of Conservation (an RAP) because of its ‘significant ecological values. It was also a ‘significant natural heritage feature’ in the proposed Whakatane District Plan.

Planning and conservation staff of the Department of Conservation in the Bay of Plenty recommended opposing the clearance of the indigenous vegetation. In their view, little indigenous vegetation remained in the semi-coastal zone of the Rotorua ecological district (only 600 hectares in 5500 hectares), giving the area significant conservation value. They feared that if the forest shrubland was cleared the remaining forest vegetation on the block would be

left as fragmented pockets with little habitat value. An independent report commissioned by TFI confirmed the conservation significance of this vegetation. DoC staff also pointed out that under the New Zealand Forest Accord, which Fletchers played a leading role in negotiating, Tasman Forest Industries could not clear the forest shrublands. Unfortunately, DoC’s Regional Conservator, Chris Jenkins, under pressure from Tasman and the block’s Maori owners, agreed to the clearance. In his defence, Jenkins says he reminded TFI of the need to consult with Forest and Bird under the terms of the Forest Accord. TFI chose not to consult and bulldozed aside the regenerating forest. Forest and Bird has since commenced discussions with Fletchers and the New Zealand Forest Owners’ Association over the clearance, which is the most significant reported breach of the Forest Accord since it was

signed in 1991.