Three forestry businesses in the Bay Plenty have been hit with more than $50,000 in fines for failing to prevent sediment run-off into nearby streams.
Forest Owner Marketing Services was fined $33,520 for its role in creating the environmental issues during forest harvesting on land south-east of Opotiki between October 2014 and May last year.
Two contractors engaged by the company were also fined, with Gaddum Construction Limited facing a $15,000 bill and Chance Brown fined $10,500.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council pollution prevention manager Nick Zaman said the damage done to the streams in the forest, "as exactly what the consent conditions (for the harvesting operation) were designed to avoid".