Recognition of Benefits Welcomed - Action Wanted

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28 February 2007

Government Recognition of Forest Benefits Welcomed – Action Wanted

“Forestry Minister Anderton’s statement this week that it is neither sustainable nor fair for communities and the environment to bear the negative environmental cost from erosion, increased run-off into waterways, flood risk and emissions in greenhouse gas emissions is a first step in towards assigning costs where they really fall”, said New Zealand Institute of Forestry President Ket Bradshaw.

While the Institute, the body that represents forestry professionals throughout New Zealand, welcomes the recognition of the benefits of forests and forestry by the government it now wants to see this turned into positive action.

“The Institute believes that the current arguments about deforestation are because the policy options put forward by the government are more in the nature of a fence at the bottom rather than the top of the cliff. If we really want less deforestation, then we need to change the signals from society that encourage it” said Ms Bradshaw.

Compared with some parts of the world where settlement has existed for many centuries the pattern of land use in New Zealand is far from stable and we are still learning how to manage different soil types and topography. Locking in particular land uses by regulation is not the way to deal with sensible and sustainable land use. Instead we need to retain flexibility while ensuring that the costs and benefits associated with different land uses are attributed to those who own and derive profits from those activities. There are two ways to do this – the community can continue to meet the wider costs of poor land use, such as pollution, but if it does, then those creating wider benefits also need to be recognised and rewarded. Alternatively, those who create the problems should be made to pay the cost.

Such approaches will affect the value of land. If all costs are to be borne by those who cause them, the value of that land will decrease. Appropriate recognition of the many benefits that forests provide (improved water quality, less erosion, less peak flows during storms, greater biodiversity, etc) will reduce the current imbalance between the value of land for forestry purposes and its value for other uses. This will reduce the pressure on forest owners to sell their land to those who currently can afford to pay more than the land’s value for forestry simply because their activities are not required to meet the full cost of the use of that land.

“If deforestation occurs it is because someone is able to use that land in a way that has more value to them than continued use for forestry. A forester will not simply deforest and leave land idle - if there is no incentive to change a further forest crop will be established.”

Government predictions are that under the Kyoto Protocol, forestry will make a net positive contribution to New Zealand between 2008 and 2012 of $910 million through reduced emissions of greenhouse gases. This will help offset the increase in emissions since 1990 from other sectors and will reduce the country’s overall liability. In contrast, the energy, transport, industrial and solvent sectors will create a liability for New Zealand of $936 million and agriculture will create a further liability of over $600 million.

To ensure that the positive contribution from forestry is protected, the government needs to ensure that the “polluter pays” principles in the Resource Management Act are applied in the way that the Act requires. All land owners should meet the costs of the off site pollution that they cause, whether it be nitrification of waterways, increased sediment from erosion, increased peak flows during storm events or emission of greenhouse gases. This would significantly lessen the attractiveness of conversion of forest land to other uses and remove the concerns that the government has about deforestation reducing the very significant positive contribution that forests are already making to measures to mitigate climate change.

“If, however, the government is happy for the community to pick up the cost of unsuitable land use activities and the pollution that they cause, the government needs to compensate the forestry sector for the benefits that it is providing. Equitable treatment of the full costs of different land uses will result in the sensible land use practices sought by Minister Anderton to a much greater extent than locking-in some land uses for all time or penalising those land users that are already meeting a much greater proportion of those costs.”

The Institute is currently discussing the government’s land management climate change options with its 800 members and will be elaborating on these and other issues in its submission, which is due at the end of March.

“We agree with Minister Anderton that urgent action is needed. The solution, as set out above, is in the government’s hands.”

ENDS

NZIF, with a membership of 780, is the organisation for NZ forestry professionals. Its main objective is to be an independent advocate for forestry, and to provide services and support to members, the profession, and the general public. Its members are concerned with the professional management of all forests, plantation and indigenous, protection and commercial. The members can be found in forestry companies, consulting businesses, research institutes, educational facilities, government departments and providers of specialist services. The NZIF also operates a scheme that controls the registration and conduct of forestry consultants who provide forestry advice to the public. There are around 90 registered NZIF members.

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