Division over plan to harvest forest

 Coronet Forest near Arrowtown. PHOTO: ODT FILES
Coronet Forest near Arrowtown. PHOTO: ODT FILES
A proposal to harvest a council-owned forest near Arrowtown before it reaches maturity drew sharply divided views at a hearing in Queenstown yesterday.

The forest's majority owner, the Queenstown Lakes District Council, has prepared a draft management plan for Coronet Forest that recommends harvesting it now, instead of beginning a 12-year logging period in 2029.

A report by council parks and reserves officer Briana Pringle said the Douglas fir forest was sending ``constant seed rain'' on to neighbouring properties and as far as 40km away.

The species was gradually taking over the hillsides above Arrowtown and greening the township's famous autumn colours.

Once the trees were harvested, the land would be replanted in a mixture of native species and grass, and a 10-year weed control plan started.

Wakatipu Wilding Conifer Control Group chairman Grant Hensman said it was ``inconsistent'' for the council to retain the forest while also funding the group's activities.

The group spent $1.4million on wilding control during the past summer season, of which $438,000 had been funded by the council.

Other plantation owners were looking to the council to take a lead on the issue before committing to removing their own forests, Mr Hensman said.

Soho Property manager Russell Hamilton said the forest was a major seed source for two of the high country stations the company leased.

It had spent $1.9million on wilding control on its land in recent years, and where it was exposed to seed spread, ``we're not winning, we're losing''.

Carrying out control work on affected land was an ``exercise in futility''.

However, former Queenstown man and forester Jim Childerstone said ratepayers would ``take a big hit'' if the forest was harvested now, because the yield would be less than half of what it would be if left until maturity.

Grant Higgins, representing more than 100 Millbrook Country Club property owners, said logging the forest should be delayed until a ``comprehensive regional strategy'' was developed that applied to all owners of seeding trees.

He also questioned the assumptions underlying the draft plan's estimates of logging returns and wilding control costs.

The forest's value had been ``grossly understated'' and the cost of wilding control overstated.

Malaghans Rd resident Peter Soundy said the information on which last year's public consultation was based contained ``misleading and incorrect financial predictions''.

The draft plan attracted 86 submissions, of which 72 (84%) were in support. The consultation follows online public consultation last year in which 85% of submitters supported an early harvest.

 

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