Proposed 114 hectares of replanting for Tūtira Regional Park

A plan to replant a mix of natives and pine across 114 hectares of the Tūtira Regional Park is being considered by Hawke's Bay Regional Council. Photo / Supplied

A plan to replant a mix of natives and pine across 114 hectares of the Tūtira Regional Park is being considered by Hawke's Bay Regional Council, after upcoming logging.

Council forest management adviser Ben Douglas said after the forest is harvested between 2021 and 2027, a total of 51ha will be retired to regenerate to native forest, 57ha replanted in radiata pine and the remaining land used for roads and skids.

Douglas said the proposed plan balances moving towards more regenerative plantings and providing council with the income it needs to maintain and improve the park.

However, the logging creates a window of vulnerability to erosion that will remain until new plantings are established.

"We're well aware of the risk of erosion once forests have been logged, and the planting plan balances the long-term objective for the land while minimising the duration of this window," Douglas said.

Environment and integrated catchments committee chairwoman Hinewai Ormsby said the proposed replanting plan aligns with the council's focus of reverting to regeneration.

Ormsby said the park, including streams, Lake Tūtira and the wider park itself, are of cultural and historic significance to Maungaharuru Tangitū hapū.

"The community are passionate about Tūtira and leaving a legacy for their mokopuna," she said.

"We're proud to have developed this replanting plan over the last two years with tangata whenua from Maungaharuru Tangitū Trust and the wider Tūtira community, focussing on biodiversity."

Significant investments into water quality improvement initiatives in the lake have been made over the years, including more than $4m in the Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi and Te Waiū o Tūtira projects to restore the mauri and water quality of the lake.

Ormsby said the plan "respects and acknowledges" the values of the locals and will help strengthen relationships with the trust and community.

The recommendation from the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee will go into a HBRC meeting on February 24.