The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Wairoa District Council have committed to working together on managing the growth in the planting and harvest of forestry in the Wairoa District.

The two councils met recently to discuss the sustainable development of forestry in the district, along with concerns raised by the community around increased forestry and the national regulations now in place for plantation forestry.

Wairoa District Mayor Craig Little says both councils understand the community’s concerns about forestry and are committed to ensuring there is the best possible mix of land use in the district.

“I believe by working together we can ensure we have trees planted in the right place for the right purpose and ensure we continue to have a great mix of land use across our district,” says Mr Little.

He says there has been an increasing volume of forestry harvest and new plantings in the district.

At the joint meeting the Wairoa District and Hawke’s Bay Regional Councils committed to ensuring the effects of forestry harvest are strictly managed under the National Environmental Standards to ensure the protection of local waterways from sediment and forestry slash.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Chair Rex Graham says no one wants any newly established forests in the district to create problems for future generations or displace highly productive pastoral land.

“Our regulation and catchment teams will be working closely with the forestry industry and landowners to get the best possible mix of land use for the Wairoa District,” says Mr Graham.

“We accept there are some challenging legacy issues with forestry to deal with, but new national regulations mean forestry management will improve over time.”

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