A recently released paper commissioned by Gisborne environmental group Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti, says the economic contribution of the commercial forestry industry has been considerably exaggerated by the industry’s supporters.
However reaction from the commercial forestry sector via
the NZ Forestry Owner’s Association has it back claiming the paper is biased and narrowly-framed.
Mana Taiao Tairāwhitihas submitted the paper to the Gisborne District Council.
Forestry has been controversial in the North Island’s east coast after Cyclone Gabrielle left the region’s beaches and valleys covered in forestry debris and resulted in six bridges destroyed.
Among environmental consequences is up to 94% of sedimentation and 90% of large woody debris in some catchments is attributable to forestry operations and the forestry sector does not bear the full costs of removal and remediation and is subsidised by ratepayers, taxpayers and insurers.
The paper also states economic and employment benefits claimed by the forestry industry are considerably over-stated.
The paper stated “The forestry sector’s contribution to the Tairāwhiti economy has been overstated by forestry sector lobbyists.”
Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti spokesperson Manu Caddie said the paper “confirms -- – forestry is not the economic backbone of Tairāwhiti that industry lobbyists claim”.
Let it not be forgotten, some 80% of the forrestry sector is foreign owned so most of profits go offshore. Forestry is an environmental disaster with the RMA failing to stop large monocultures. A mature pine uses 100 litres a day.
Multiply that by a forest of 10,000 trees and that’s 1,000,000 litres. by my calcs.
Little wonder then, that streams that once flowed all year round, now dry up under the thirst of pine monocultures.
Yes, like “Kiwi Keith’ I’ve seen streams which once flowed all year, now just a trickle or dry stream beds that once held good populations of trout and native fish life.
Where is Fish and Game on the pine threat? Where is the Department of Conservation?
Under the Fish and Game “reforms” which Fishing and Hunting Minister James Meager is promoting, Fish and Game will not be allowed to speak out.
The whole rationale for forestry in this area was for erosion control. It didn’t work and now it is backfiring.