Changes to forestry rules announced on Tuesday will put power back into the hands of local communities, Federated Farmers forestry spokesman Toby Williams says.
“These new rules will give local councils, who are accountable to the community they represent, much more say over what is planted - and where it’s planted.
“We’ve seen in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay the kind of damage that can be caused when forestry slash is mismanaged - it was devastating for our communities and we’re still recovering,” Williams says.
There will now be a requirement to remove slash from erosion-prone land, and the environmental effects of permanent pine forests will need to be managed the same way as plantation forests.
“Federated Farmers have been pushing hard for this for some time now, so it’s great to finally see some action that will make a difference for our rural communities.
