Council’s forestry approach Summary

8 comments for Council’s forestry approach.

Emotion Chart

Summary of Resident Feedback on Council’s Forestry Approach

Key Themes:

  1. Transition from Commercial to Native Forestry:

  2. A significant number of residents advocate for the council to exit commercial forestry operations and instead focus on planting native or mixed species. This transition is seen as beneficial for environmental reasons, including reducing carbon emissions and preventing sedimentation in local water bodies like the Maitai/Mahitahi River.

  3. Environmental and Recreational Benefits:

  4. Residents see the potential for environmental improvements with the cessation of commercial forestry. There is also a strong desire for the newly freed spaces to be used for recreational purposes (e.g., hiking, mountain biking, and paragliding) and attractions that align with native forestry.

  5. Support for Native Species and Continuous Canopy:

  6. Comments highlight a preference for a continuous canopy of native or mixed species, which is viewed as a more sustainable and ecologically friendly approach compared to monoculture pine forests.

  7. Economic Considerations and Sustainable Practices:

  8. While some concerns were raised about the financial implications of exiting commercial forestry, the overall sentiment leans towards environmental sustainability. There is interest in exploring sustainable timber production through native forestry as a potential economic activity.

Recommendations from Submissions:

  1. Promote Native Tree Planting:

  2. Encourage the planting of native trees to enhance the local ecosystem and reinforce Nelson’s identity as a "true kiwi gem."

  3. Ensure Public Access:

  4. Maintain and prioritize public access to forestry areas during and after the transition from commercial to native or mixed species forestry. This access should cater to a variety of recreational activities.

  5. Explore Sustainable Commercial Opportunities:

  6. Investigate opportunities for sustainable timber production using native species, potentially in collaboration with local organizations like Wakatū, which is already exploring these options with Scion.

  7. Engage in Continuous Dialogue:

  8. Maintain open and continuous dialogue with the community to explore further opportunities for safe recreational use of the land (whenua).

Conclusion:

The feedback from Nelson residents clearly supports a shift towards more sustainable forestry practices, with a strong emphasis on native species planting and the provision of recreational spaces. While there are financial considerations to manage with the proposed exit from commercial forestry, the environmental and social benefits appear to strongly resonate with the community. The council is encouraged to consider these perspectives carefully to align the Long Term Plan with community values and environmental sustainability goals.

Comment Point ID
Comment:  I would also like to add please promote planting native trees instead of pine forests to make Nelson a true kiwi gem.  Thankyou for considering this. 196.4
Comment: Council’s Forestry Approach We support and encourage dialogue that encourages the creation of opportunities for safe recreational access and use of the whenua.  1027.7
Comment: 1. Exit commercial forestry as quickly as possible and grow a continuous canopy of native and/or mixed species. There’s a tonne of reasons that this is a good idea but my favourite is that Cawthron has identified that forestry is the number 1 cause of sedimentation in the Maitai/Mahitahi River. 1077.2
Comment: Council’s Forestry Approach The Nelson Youth council agrees and supports the Council proposed approach on Commercial forestry, as outlined in the LTP. We believe that Nelson exiting out of commercial forestry, while it will lead to losses financially, will be beneficial towards the climate and environment, in that this course of action will not only directly reduce carbon emissions but help set a precedent for other councils to do the same. This freed up space also allows for new areas to be installed in Nelson, such as native forestry, other greenery, along with attractions such as a small mountain biking track, and more. It is for these reasons we propose to follow council’s proposal and exit commercial forestry, replacing previous forestry areas with any of the listed suggestions and more. 1147.5
Comment: Until all non native first is reverted back to native plantings ensure public access is a priority!  This applies for all users from hiking to mountain biking to paragliding! 1301.10
Comment: 3. I support the exit of commercial forestry over time and grow a continuous canopy of mixed species. 1426.10
Comment: 3. I support the exit of commercial forestry over time and grow a continuous canopy of mixed species. 1428.4
Comment: Forestry 32. Option 2 is preferred, with mixed species planting. 33. Wakatū is currently working with Scion looking at opportunities for commercial production native forestry for sustainable timber production. We would encourage the Council to explore this as an option for future forestry focus. 1445.4