The proposed National Environmental Standards (NES) for a National Consistency for Plantation Forestry under the Resource Management Act (RMA) were asked for seven years ago, says forestry company Ernslaw One's environment manager Peter Weir, of Christchurch, and Forestry Owners Association representative.
''There has been seven years of solid work on it - it's a big beast,'' Mr Weir said.
The proposed NES will introduce consistency and address the variability of RMA rules for plantation forestry nationally.
''Regulations in forestry are highly variable across New Zealand,'' Mr Weir said.
''It would be more effective to have one set of rules [throughout the country].''
As an example, rules relating to what sized culverts should be used within a forest varied across New Zealand.
One forest, which spread across three regions in the North Island, attracted three different sets of culvert rules.
If a forestry operation meets the requirements of the proposed NES, then it will be a permitted activity, as it already is under the Otago Regional Council, and no longer require a resource consent (apart from addressing some conditions, such as wilding pines).
However, if it does not meet the standards, then the owner or operator would have to apply for a consent.
Once the draft proposal is in place, it will be submitted to Cabinet for its approval, then the public will have a third opportunity to make submissions.
The group is holding another meeting about the proposal in Dunedin tomorrow. The NES is also linked with the National Policy statement for fresh water.
Environment Southland's (ES) senior land sustainability officer Gary Morgan said the council had not had a lot of involvement in the NES process.
Mr Morgan said forestry was a permitted activity in Southland (with some conditions, such as wilding pine control), and unlike parts of the North Island, many areas in Southland had a lower erosion risk.
He said he was concerned that rules designed for high-risk areas would have to be introduced in Southland, which was a lower-risk area and the council had worked extensively with forestry contractors to ensure any issues, such as sediment loss, were mitigated.
''We'll be keeping a pretty close eye on it [the proposed NES],'' Mr Morgan said.
Otago Regional Council's director policy planning and resource management, Fraser McRae, said forestry was already a permitted activity in Otago and the proposed national standards cut across council autonomy to manage [forests].
The ORC already took an effects-based approach rather than activity-based approach to such operations as forestry and farming, under its Plan Change 6A, which is designed to improve water quality.
''Forestry operators don't need permission if they are doing the right thing [already],'' Mr McRae said.
He said the proposed one-size-fits-all rules would not allow foresters to be creative and innovative to reduce operational effects on the environment.
