Aratu Forests agrees plan with Council to improve management of woody debris
4 December 2024
Aratu Forests has agreed a range of measures with Gisborne District Council to further improve its management of woody debris in the wake of last year’s cyclones.
The measures are part of the terms and conditions Aratu has agreed following the Council making an enforcement order application to the Environment Court regarding forestry management at Te Marunga Forest.
“Aratu is pleased to have reached a settlement that builds on the work we have underway already to minimise the risks of woody debris and sediment leaving the forest and impacting nearby communities,” said Aratu Chief Executive Neil Woods.
The agreement includes commitments to establish a network of debris nets in the forest, identifying and removing woody debris from landing sites and waterways subject to strict timelines. Aratu first approached the Council in 2019 to build debris nets, but withdrew its application in December 2022 as the pathway to getting approval was unclear.
“The cyclones have exposed the complex nature of this problem, but we are determined to keep lifting our game to better mitigate impacts on the wider environment around our plantations.
“Te Marunga is a particularly challenging forest with much pine planted on steep, highly erodible soils and in the five years we have owned the forest, we have taken many steps to improve how we manage the forest. This has included native plantings around waterways to contain debris, strengthening roadways and stabilising and removing debris at harvest sites.”
As a result of previous discussions with the Council, Aratu has already undertaken considerable remediation at Te Marunga and met all the timelines to date as required by the order.
“Following the cyclones Aratu made it a priority to support the clean-up of our impacted neighbours and communities before concentrating on our forest environment. This has involved rehabilitation of landing sites and roading and management of woody debris.
“The cyclones were extreme events that inflicted significant damage unrelated to our harvesting activities. However, they were also a reminder that we needed to further enhance our efforts around woody debris management. This is why we announced in October our plan to build Swiss-designed high strength steel debris nets bordering our Te Marunga, Waimanu and Wakaroa forests.”
Aratu Forests plans high strength steel nets to manage woody debris
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Council to ensure we play our part in better managing the impacts of woody debris in Tairāwhiti,” said Neil Woods.
Summary of agreement
Broadly, the settlement with Gisborne District Council requires Aratu to:
- Identify and rank infrastructure (roads and landings) in terms of the risk it poses to sediment and wood debris discharges.
- Identify and rank woody debris located near waterways in terms of risk of mobilisation.
- Identify and rank the risk of woody debris remaining on slopes in the forest.
- Remove woody debris located in areas of risk from 1-3 above, with priority being areas identified as high risk.
- Develop a network plan and apply for consents to establish a network of engineered debris catchers within the forest.