Letters: More forestry stories please

Photo/File

I was surprised but pleased to read the articles about forestry in your papers of 22, 23 and 24 March. Surprised because you rarely feature this most significant industry.

The Rotorua region has been the most prominent area of plantation forests in New Zealand since the 1890s. It has an internationally acclaimed forest research institute (Scion), enterprising forest products industry, the largest number of forest managers/consultants and burgeoning forest recreation.

The unsung generosity of Maori landowners, Kaingaroa Timberlands and Red Stag allows Whakarewarewa Forest to be of immense importance to the Rotorua economy.

Based on 2012 GDP data Rotorua's largest industry sector is forestry (14.7% GDP), followed by tourism (11% GDP) and agriculture (5.5% GDP).

Yet on 21 March you managed just a 4cm long column about the 2017 International Day of Forests! The "Country" page-filler you print every week rarely mentions forestry but is 85% agricultural notes plus strange editorial stuff, usually quite unrelated to rural issues.

As a retired forester, now farmer, I look forward to more of your, and Lakes Council appreciation of the importance of forests in this region.

Keep it up!

DAVID FIELD
Ngongotaha

Last Thursday and Friday (March 16/17) the Rotorua District Council laid a new coat of tar seal on three kilometres of Poutakataka Road in Ngakuru. The usual 30km per hour restrictions were put in place, and were kept to by locals who very much value their sealed roads, after many years of metal and dust.

On the Saturday the Targa Rally cars used that stretch of road as part of their closed road circuits. Targa cars are permitted to travel up to 160 kilometres per hour, and so the 30km restrictions were ignored. Where is the sense in that? The Targa rally has been posted locally for weeks. The council gave permission for it to take place, yet still went ahead with the new seal.

P LYONS-MONTGOMERY
Ngakuru