9 July 2015
Memo to: Mayor
and Councillors
Memo from: Administration
Advisers
Subject: Governance Committee–
9 July 2015 – LATE ITEM
1. Late
Item: Forestry Harvest on Dun Mountain Walkway
A report
titled Forestry Harvest on Dun Mountain Walkway is attached and to be
considered as a major late item at this meeting.
Section
46A(1)-(6) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
and Standing Order 2.15.8 require that agendas are distributed with the
associated reports. As this report was not distributed with the agenda
for this meeting, it must be treated as a major late item to be considered at
this meeting.
In accordance
with section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings
Act 1987 and Standing Order 3.7.5, a procedural resolution is required before a
major item that is not on the agenda for the meeting may be dealt with.
In accordance
with section 46A(7)(b)(i) the reason why the item was not on the agenda is
because it came to hand after the agenda had been distributed.
In accordance
with section 46A(7)(b)(ii) the reason why discussion of this item cannot be
delayed until a subsequent meeting is because a resolution on the matter is
required before the next scheduled meeting of the Governance Committee to
enable a timely decision to be made.
Recommendation
THAT
the item regarding Forestry Harvest on Dun Mountain Walkway be considered at
this meeting as a major item not on the agenda, pursuant to Section 46A(7)(a)
of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, to enable a
timely decision to be made.
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Governance Committee
9 July 2015
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REPORT R4539
Forestry
Harvest on Dun Mountain Walkway
1. Purpose
of Report
1.1 To advise the Committee on pending forestry
harvesting activities in the Brook Valley and the impact of this on
recreational use of the Dun Mountain Trail and to seek advice whether to
proceed with this or not.
2. Delegations
2.1 The
Governance Committee is delegated to consider matters of commercial activities
relating to Council.
2.2 The
Commercial Subcommittee at its meeting on 9 July 2015, resolved to defer this
matter to the Governance Committee.
3. Recommendation
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THAT the report Forestry Harvest
on Dun Mountain Walkway (R4539)
and its attachment (A1373078) be
received.
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Recommendation
to Council
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THAT the
harvesting of the Dun Mountain Trail forest block proceed.
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4. Background
4.1 The
Council currently owns a 25 hectare block within the Dun Mountain area that
requires harvesting. This forest is on its second tree crop rotation and is
located adjacent to the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary. (refer to attachment 1 for
location). PF Olsen, Council’s
management consultant, identified the block has reached its optimum harvest
age, and the net present value of this block will decline after 2015.
4.2 Matters
relating to forestry have not previously been put before Council; they have
been treated as operational decisions. In addition, the Chief Executive
has initiated a review (which the Commercial Subcommittee will be
considering). This matter comes before the Committee now because of staff
endeavours to accommodate all users of the surrounding area within the
harvesting timetable, whilst achieving best outcomes for Council.
4.3 The
harvesting requires resource consent to carry out soil disturbance and
earthworks activities associated with harvesting. Consent was granted on 6 July
2015.
4.4 Council
has two operational Forestry and Harvesting agreements with a management
consultant, PF Olsen. PF Olsen has robust health and safety requirements
and procedures in place for their logging sub contractors and are TELARC
registered. These agreements mean that the activity will not be the
subject of a separate tender.
4.5 Several
forestry methodologies have been discussed with PF Olsen. All require the
closure of the Dun Mountain Trail for most of the intended period (of up to
four months) of harvesting, planned to start around August 2015.
4.6 As
this is the second rotation of pine trees, the site has already been heavily
modified during the harvesting of the first crop of trees. The proposal is to
clear the existing track network that was used in the previous harvest of this
stand in 1986. It is planned to use some of the existing tracks to skid logs to
the central ridge where they will be picked up with a falcon grapple and hauled
down by cable to the existing skid site. The trail will be re-instated on
completion of the harvesting.
5. Discussion
5.1 This
block was identified as having reached its optimum harvest age and that the net
present value of this block will decline after 2015.
5.2 PF
Olsen estimate that the harvest contractor’s per tonne rate will be high
– around $42 per tonne due to the difficulty of extracting the logs from
this steep block of land. Net revenue to Council is expected to be within the
range of $300,000 - $350,000, however this will depend on the market opportunities
available at the time the trees are logged.
5.3 Council
is currently undertaking a forestry review which will focus on the strategic
aspects of our forestry activities. This review will consider the future of
forestry and /or retirement of those forested areas that are fragmented or
poorly located and whether to replant in native bush or not.
5.4 Logging
truck access to and from the Brook Valley has been carefully managed in the
past to avoid trucks travelling past schools at busy times. The Tasman Street
upgrade is due for completion early August and will not impact on logging truck
movements.
5.5 Forestry
harvesting activities will limit access to work sites for the Brook Waimarama
Sanctuary Trust’s (BWST) fencing contractor. Work on a 5.5 km stretch of
the fence programmed for December would not be possible if the forest harvest
was started any later than August, and result in further disruption of the
Trust’s programme going forward.
5.6 If
the harvesting can be completed by November 2015, the Dun Mountain Trail will
be available for recreational users over the summer period.
6. Options
6.1 The
Committee could indicate that the harvesting of this block either does or does
not proceed.
6.2 If
the harvesting does not proceed over the next 12 months, it is likely the
condition of the forestry will deteriorate and returns to Council will
diminish. However, it should also be recognised that the financial
returns to Council will be affected by economic conditions.
Council’s investment policy is the guiding document, and the forestry
section is provided as Attachment 2.
7. Alignment
with relevant Council policy
7.1 The
block is scheduled for harvest by the management consultant.
8. Assessment
of Significance against the Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy
8.1 This
is not significant in terms of Councils Significance and Engagement Policy.
9. Consultation
9.1 Any
consultation will be guided by the regulatory process.
10. Inclusion
of Māori in the decision making process
10.1 No consultation has been undertaken with Maori
11. Conclusion
11.1 The
forest block is due for harvest and should result in a net income to Council of
between $300,000 and $350,000.
11.2 The
activity has obtained resource consent.
11.3 The
harvest will require the closure of the Dun Mountain walkway for a period of
time (estimated to be no more than 4 months).
11.4 Harvesting
is proposed to commence in August 2015 and will include a detailed
communication plan.
11.5 Harvesting
of this block will in no way over ride or preclude the outcome of the pending
forestry Review.
Margaret
Parfitt
Team
Leader Roading and Solid Waste
Attachments
Attachment 1: A1373078
- Brook Forest Stand 21.04
Attachment 2: A1384931
- Extract from Investment Policy 2015 - Forestry
