KEY POINTS:
Dave Donaldson has spent 12 years mountain biking in Rotorua's Whakarewarewa Forest and fears that plans to fell trees could ruin the character of its world-renowned trails.
As vice-president of the local mountain bike club, he is pinning his hopes on a benefactor coming forward to buy the felling rights from Timberlands, the company that manages the forest.
"There's more to this forest than just harvesting trees. It's become an important recreational destination for New Zealand."
"Whaka Forest", as it is known, is jointly owned by investors including the New Zealand and Harvard University superannuation funds, and some areas are protected.
Last weekend, Rotorua's Daily Post reported that Timberlands had alarmed mountain bikers when it announced plans to replace existing trees in the main area with more commercially viable species such as radiata pine.
The forest is laced with mountain bike trails and of particular concern to the mountain bike club was the loss of eucalyptus, larch and redwoods, some up to 100 years old.
Timberlands has since assured the club it will replace redwoods with redwoods as they are felled, and ensure clearing is done in stages so large tracts are not laid waste at one time.
"The only issue that's at stake is that the character of the forest may be lost," Mr Donaldson said.
He said Timberlands had been understanding of the mountain bikers' concerns and was acting within its rights but had "a tree harvester's mindset".
He hoped a benefactor - possibly the Government - would make Timberlands an offer for the cutting rights, and maintain the diversity of the forest for mountain bikers.
In the past few years, the reputation of the Whakarewarewa Forest trails has grown to the point that they now attract riders from around the world.
Rotorua holds several major mountain bike events, including the Cateye Moonride and NZO N-Duro Mountain Bike Series, and last year hosted the UCI World Mountain Bike Championships. Local businesses have benefited and see protection of the forest as vital.
Gregg Brown, a keen mountain biker and owner of the Pig & Whistle pub and Capers cafe, said economically the world champs had eclipsed every other event held in Rotorua, except the 2005 Lions rugby tour.
He would like to see the forest permanently protected, saying the diversity and age of the trees made riding there a unique experience. "It's a combination that's not found anywhere else in New Zealand, perhaps in the world."
Timberlands forest risk manager Colin Maunder told the Daily Post that while the company was mindful of the forest's value to recreational users, it had an obligation to ensure owners of the cutting rights had a profitable return. "We're not in the tourism business. We're in the forestry business."
Daily Post editor Jill Nicholas wrote in a column this week that the way forward for mountain bikers and the company was to maintain a good relationship.
"Who, only a handful of years ago, could have envisaged what a major money spinner mountain biking would become for this region," she said.
A 2005 report found mountain biking in Whakarewarewa Forest was worth $4.35 million a year to the local economy. It said mountain bikers made 51,000 visits to the forest each year and believed maintaining the vegetation's diversity was important to building Rotorua's reputation as "the best mountain bike destination in the world".
The Rotorua District Council has commissioned another report, and environmental services manager Nigel Wharton said it was expected to show a growth in figures.
He said the council recognised the forest's value both in terms of forestry and recreation, but did not view one as more important than the other.
Nor did the council have a view on whether decades-old trees should be felled as long as those cutting them down had felling rights and were complying with the district plan.
Whakarewarewa Forest
* Covers 5667ha bordering Tikitapu and Rotokakahi, Rotorua's Blue and Green lakes.
* The forest was a testbed for 170 species of exotic trees planted from 1899.
* Radiata pine emerged as the most important commercial species, but other species, including Californian redwoods, survived and flourished.
* Some areas of the forest are now protected, but in recent years, it has become a world-renowned mountain-biking destination, and mountain bikers are concerned that plans to fell trees in the rest of the forest could damage its unique character.
