Land Use Policy is now urgent

EMBARGOED - FOR RELEASE 4.00PM 22 June 2015

Land Use Policy is now urgent

The New Zealand Institute of Forestry (NZIF) welcomes the latest in a series of reports from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE) on NZ’s declining water quality. The Commissioner’s June 2015 report issues the same warnings related to pollution of NZ’s waterways from intensive dairy farming as she has in the past.

“The latest report is shocking when you realise in four years there has been almost 160,000 hectares converted to dairy” said NZIF President James Treadwell. “The direct result of this is more cows urinating on more land on overloaded pastures, sustained by artificial fertiliser.”

“The NZIF has become increasingly frustrated by the lack of political will to address the lack of integrated land use in New Zealand.” said Mr Treadwell. Mr Treadwell points to countries such as Australia, Canada, China, the UK, and Sweden which actively promote forestry as a land use.

Mr Treadwell said “the NZIF has requested Associate Minister for Primary Industries the Hon. Jo Goodhew to champion a forest policy for New Zealand, however she has rejected this idea stating ‘New Zealand is different from other countries in how it manages its natural resources and its approach to policies relevant to the primary sectors. ….the government encourages market-led adjustments to support sustainable environmental and land management.’

“Obviously the market led approach is not working, especially in regards to the environment” said Mr Treadwell. “The PCE June report states ‘dairy farming is the land use that has continued to expand rapidly, and so is largely the cause of increased nutrient stress on waterways.’ This expansion has been driven by the market” Mr Treadwell points out.

The NZIF consider the development of integrated land use policy now urgent. Failing this a forest policy which recognises the benefits forests provide the public is essential if New Zealand is going to improve the condition of its waterways and maintain its clean green image.

© Scoop Media