Forestry industry expects major changes lie ahead in wake of inquiry

There is "no magic wand" to sort the forestry slash problem but a robust science-based inquiry may help, an industry boss says.

Eastland Wood Council chief executive Philip Hope told Morning Report the forestry industry knows change is coming and it is willing to cooperate fully with the government's newly announced inquiry into forestry slash and land use.

The inquiry was announced on the same day 64 households were evacuated in Tokomaru Bay because of fears a debris dam formed in a river above the town could fail.

But without flow meters on the river Civil Defence have people stationed above the dam watching it with more heavy rain due for the East Coast region.

The evacuations were the latest addition to a long list of problems caused by forest waste which includes bridges being destroyed, beaches covered in logs and farmland being inundated.

Yesterday the government announced a ministerial inquiry into forestry slash and land use with Forestry Minister Stuart Nash saying things have to change.

The inquiry - to be headed by former Cabinet minister Hekia Parata - will report back in two months.

Hope said he acknowledged a huge volume of wood debris was coming into waterways and beaches and in some areas close to forestry blocks a high proportion of it came from his industry.

The industry was committed to cleaning it up and to working with the government on the inquiry.

Asked if the industry could continue to operate without the forestry slash coming down, he said it was a difficult issue.

"Those trees were planted over 30 years ago on some very steep terrain which is highly erodable and those trees can't stay there.

"If they stay they will fall down and create an even bigger problem."

He understood people's frustration over the industry's failure to deal with the problems but there was "no magic wand".

"Processes have improved immensely since 2018 but for catastrophic weather events which have impacted all landowners - not just forestry - but the impacts are much more visible because of the debris that is in the waterways."

Asked if the industry was no longer viable, Hope said it would be better to wait for the results of the inquiry.

He wanted a robust review informed by scientific knowledge.

"We do agree that things need to change. We have incredibly difficult terrain and soils here on the East Coast. Trees do have a role to play but we need to make further changes to where these trees are planted and I think this is what the inquiry is going to come back with."

After Cyclone Bola there was "a more broad brush approach" to where trees were planted and it was the wrong decision, Hope said.

Communities living on flood plains downstream of where the forestry operations were taking place would have some decisions to make on their future in light of what climate change was delivering.

"This is much bigger than forestry."

The industry was just 20 percent of land in Te Tai Rāwhiti. It used marginal steep land and it knew some forestry blocks would need to be retired.

The cost of harvesting which involved a lot of mechanisation was expensive, the distance to ports and adverse weather events were combining to make it not very profitable, he said.

However, it employed around 1000 workers in the region as well as another 1000 in the allied service industries.

"Right now our focus is on supporting communities with the clean-up from this devastating weather event," Hope said.

Slash has stripped riverbanks - conservationist

A tree-planting group in Tai Rāwhiti has seen all its work planting natives alongside waterways wasted due to the forestry slash that was brought down into floodwaters caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Waimatā Catchment Restoration Project has waited around 10 years for action on forestry slash - and that wish was finally granted yesterday.

Over the past few years, volunteers have planted more than 60,000 native trees along the Waimatā River, north of Gisborne. Most of those trees survived previous floods - but not this time.

Waimatā Catchment Restoration Project's manager Laura Watson said there needed to be changes.

It was up to the inquiry to look at "the big picture" and decide if it was realistic for the trees to be planted on such steep land.

"There's got to be other ways these trees can be taken out without all this damage created."

Some forestry operators were trying to clean up the mess after the cyclone, however, her neighbour had thousands of tonnes of logs sitting on his land.

"They [forestry workers] are even scratching their heads on what to do just because of the sheer volume they're trying to deal with."

Her group had lost a huge amount of money and wasted a lot of effort on planting natives near waterways in the last three years - a situation that was heart-breaking, she said.

"The riverbanks are gone - the sheer amount of logs that were amongest the floodwater has stripped the riverbanks of even the weeds that were growing."

Advice from the National Emergency Management Agency

• Heavy rain could cause further flooding, landslides, and damage to roads in regions impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.
• Put safety first. Act quickly if you see rising water do not wait for official warnings. Head for higher ground and stay away from floodwater.
• Have grab bags ready with: medications, snacks, water, torches, pet food, and baby formula (if needed) in case you need to evacuate.
• Plan where you will go if you have to evacuate
• Ensure that you have enough food, water, and other essential supplies to last for several days.
• Stay up to date with the latest information from MetService and your local Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.
• Wear protective clothing when cleaning flood water and mud including: mask, goggles, gloves, long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and gumboots or work shoes.