Proposed forestry standard 'rubbish'

Absolute rubbish" is how Otago regional councillor Duncan Butcher describes a proposed national environmental standard for plantation forestry.

Councillors at a recent council meeting discussed the regional council's draft submission on the standard, which had been developed after a request by the New Zealand Forest Owners Association for a nationally consistent framework for plantation forestry..

A report to the council said the proposed standard would override any rules in council plans relating to the effects of forestry.

Policy and resource director Fraser McRae said the standard was contrary to the principles of the Resource Management Act.

"It will open the door all over the place in an unconstrained manner, with no way for us to recover the costs. It's fundamentally flawed," he said.

It attempted to set up forestry as a permitted activity subject to conditions which would have to be written into council plans and be approved and monitored by local authorities.

Chairman Stephen Cairns said he "totally opposed" it.

Cr Duncan Butcher said it was an industry-driven policy which aimed to allow owners to do whatever they liked with forestry. The standards suggested were nowhere near the level a regional council would require, he said.

"It should be thrown out straight away. It's absolute rubbish."

The council's submission needed to be very strong in its opposition, he said.

Councillors recommended the council's submission be adopted and sent to the Ministry for the Environment by the close of submissions on October 18.

- rebecca.fox@odt.co.nz

 

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