Agenda of Forestry Advisory Group

Forestry Advisory Group Minutes - 15 November 2017

Minutes of a meeting of the Forestry Advisory Group

Held in the Council Chamber, Floor 2A, Civic House, 110 Trafalgar Street, Nelson

On Wednesday 15 November 2017, commencing at 3.00pm

Present: Mr J Murray (Chairperson), Her Worship the Mayor R Reese, Group Manager Infrastructure Mr A Louverdis and Specialist Forestry Expert Mr P Gorman

In Attendance: From PF Olsen: Forest Manager and Adviser (David Fincham), Branch Manager (Brendan Horrell) and Environmental Forester (Sally Moore); Owner/Adviser, LandVision (Lachie Grant), Governance Adviser (P White)

Apology/ies : Nil

1. Apologies

Councillor L Acland was not present and no apologies were received.

2. Confirmation of Order of Business

There was no change to the order of business.

3. Interests

There were no updates to the Interests Register, and no interests with items on the agenda were declared.

4. Forestry update - Number 2 - November 2017

Document number R8169, agenda pages 4 - 32 refer.

Brendan Horrell, Branch Manager, PF Olsen, gave a presentation (A1865885) outlining PF Olsen and its work in Nelson forests.

He then presented the five year harvest plan, noting that this could change dependant on the export and domestic markets, to maximise returns to Council. The Group endorsed this flexible approach. Mr Horrell confirmed that current harvesting had exceeded budgets.

There was discussion about a section of block 29/01 noted in paragraph 4.6 of report R8169. The members acknowledged the ongoing risk of these trees falling, because of steep terrain and close proximity of housing. Regardless of a potential higher cost for removal of these trees, members asked PF Olsen to finalise a plan to remove these trees, to be actioned as soon as possible.

The meeting discussion the Quarterly Report 1 July – 30 September 2017 (A1854925). Mr Horrell tabled more detailed harvesting plans for the Brook, Roding and Maitai forests (A1866733).

In regard to contractors undertaking harvesting work, Mr Horrell confirmed that only PF Olsen accredited contractors are considered for harvest work.

Mr Horrell briefed members on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Accreditation. PF Olsen was accredited as a forest management company. He outlined the benefits to NCC considering becoming FSC accredited. There would be costs to developing an initial management plan, an annual registration fee, a cost per tonne harvested and an annual audit fee, and a 5 year audit fee. Members supported pursuing FSC certification in principle and approved PF Olsen preparing a management plan.

Mr Lachie Grant, LandVision Land Management Solutions, gave a presentation (A1865414) on possible alternative land use for forestry blocks to be retired once harvested or felled to waste.

There was discussion about Mr Grant’s recommendations, but there was uncertainty about how to make a decision on those options. Members discussed potential considerations included economic viability, risk, cost, recreation amenity value, public profile, ecological issues, alternate economic value, land stability, FSC certification issues, fit with draft Nelson Plan and the Nelson Biodiversity forum and potential consultation with stakeholders i.e. recreational user groups.

It was agreed that LandVision would work with PF Olsen and Mr Peter Gorman to make recommendations about future alternate land use of forests to be retired, on a block by block basis. It was also agreed that wider general consultation on alternate use was not required, nor supported, but for more visible blocks the Biodiversity Forum or recreational user groups may be consulted with.

In response to a question Mr Louverdis confirmed that the tracks damaged as part of the recently harvested “Codgers block” would be reinstated from the forestry account. He further noted that Council has appointed the reinstatement contractor after discussion with the Nelson Mountainbike Club (NMTBC), but Council was having issues with reinstatement/betterment and that Council officers were discussing the matter with the NMTBC as per the agreed memorandum of understanding.

Mayor Reese noted her interest in block 28.01.

There was discussion about block 21/05 (Item 4.5) noting this would be felled to waste. The Group also acknowledged and agreed that the blocks listed in item 6.5 would be regenerated to native bush.

Resolved FAG/2017/001

That the Forestry Advisory Group

Receives the report Forestry update - Number 2 - November 2017 (R8169) and its attachments (A1739267, A1849406, A1561381, A1849421, A1856044 and A1854925); and

Approves the Five-yearly harvesting management plans as per A1856044 attached to report R8169; and

Approves the felling to waste of the remaining Brook block 21/04 at an estimated cost of $10,000; and

Notes that the blocks detailed in item 6.5 of Report R8169 will be regenerated to native bush once harvested or felled; and

Approves that Block 29/01 (Brook stand) be harvested/felled to waste, with urgency, to address health and safety concerns, subject to approval of a site specific plan from the Independent Forestry Expert; and

Approves, in principle, that Nelson City Council join the Forestry Stewardship Council Accreditation scheme and approves PF Olsen undertaking work to prepare the management plan at an upper estimated cost of $10,000; and

Instructs LandVision to work with PF Olsen and the Independent Forestry Expert, with respect to the blocks to be considered for alternate use, to prepare an individual plan for each block, and report that plan back to the Forestry Advisory Group.

Her Worship the Mayor/Murray Carried

Attachments

1 A1865414 Presentation - LandVision

2 A1865885 Presentation - Harvesting Plans

3 A1865888 Presentation - Forestry Stewardship

4 A1866733 Harvesting Plans for Brook, Roding and Maitai Forests

There being no further business the meeting ended at 5.12pm..

Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings:

Chairperson Date

Forestry Advisory Group

15 March 2018

REPORT R8888

Forestry update - Number 3 - March 2018

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 To provide an update to the Forestry Advisory Group (FAG) on forestry activities since Council adopted the Forestry Review recommendations in September 2016 and since the last update provided to the FAG in November 2017.

1.2 To approve a way forward with respect to the plans for “Alternate Use”.

2. Summary

2.1 The agreed Terms of Reference for the FAG are attached to this report for easy reference - refer to Attachment 1.

2.2 The full suite of Council adopted resolutions in September 2016 are again attached for ease of reference - refer to Attachment 2.

2.3 Refer to Attachment 3 for forestry block maps.

3. Recommendation

That the Forestry Advisory Group

Receives the report Forestry update - Number 3 - March 2018 (R8888) and its attachments (A1739267, A1849406, A1561381, A1908827 and A1908918); and

Approves the specific site plans as presented by LandVision at the meeting relating to Alternate Use.

4. Update

4.1 The FAG resolved (under their delegations) on 15 November 2017 as below):

Approves the Five-yearly harvesting management plans as per A1856044 attached to report R8169; and

Approves the felling to waste of the remaining Brook block 21/04 at an estimated cost of $10,000; and

Notes that the blocks detailed in item 6.5 of Report R8169 will be regenerated to native bush once harvested or felled; and

Approves that Block 29/01 (Brook stand) be harvested/felled to waste, with urgency, to address health and safety concerns, subject to approval of a site specific plan from the Independent Forestry Expert; and

Approves, in principle, that Nelson City Council join the Forestry Stewardship Council Accreditation scheme and approves PF Olsen undertaking work to prepare the management plan at an upper estimated cost of $10,000; and

Instructs LandVision to work with PF Olsen and the Independent Forestry Expert, with respect to the blocks to be considered for alternate use, to prepare an individual plan for each block, and report that plan back to the Forestry Advisory Group.

Emissions Trading Scheme

4.2 All ETS items have been attended to.

Commercial Forestry

4.3 Harvesting continues in the Maitai, Brook and Roding and planning is underway as per the approved harvesting plans for future harvesting in all four blocks.

Douglas Fir and Acacia harvesting

4.4 Progress is detailed below.

Block	Stand	Species	Status	Area
Brook	22.03	D fir	Harvesting complete	5.8
Brook	22.08	D fir	In planning. To be undertaken in conjunction with privately owned adjacent forest block	3.4
Brook	21.03	D fir	To remain (*)	0.2
Maitai	4.04	D fir	Harvesting completed	2.2
Maitai	4.13	D fir	Poisoning commenced	0.5
Maitai	9.01	D fir	Part harvested. 3 Ha remaining. Progress awaiting outcome of alternate use debate	4.3
Maitai	10.01	D fir	Poisoned	1.8
Maitai	4.08	Acacia	Poisoned	1.3
Marsden	42.06	D fir	Harvesting of this block has been delayed until the block can deliver a commercial return (likely in 10 years’ time). In addition, felling to waste of such a large block will create a visual impact for the city backdrop & will pose an extreme fire risk and hence is not recommended.	20.3
Marsden	44.01	D fir	In planning	0.5
Roding	55.03	Acacia	In planning – estimated April.	4.6

Note (*) - Covered in the previous report – mixed with Redwood adjacent to the Brook Camp and would be very expensive and pose health and safety issues to remove the Douglas Fir. They also don’t pose a risk of seed dispersal.

Other

FAG resolutions	Progress
Approves the felling to waste of the remaining Brook block 21/05 (note incorrectly reported as 21/04 in report 2) at an estimated cost of $10,000	Adjoining Brook Waimarama Sanctuary and will include both poisoning & fell to waste. Will need to take place during low public use and will be co-ordinated with MTB and BWST. Poisoning commenced.
Approves that Block 29/01 (Brook stand) be harvested/felled to waste, with urgency, to address health and safety concerns, subject to approval of a site specific plan from the Independent Forestry Expert	In planning.

Health and Safety

4.5 No Safe Work Observations (SWO) have been undertaken by officers since September 2017. The planned SWO with the entire FAG will not take place at the March meeting as originally planned, as there are currently no Nelson forests being harvested at this point in time. A combined visit will be arranged at the next FAG meeting or at an alternative time to coincide with a Nelson harvesting operation.

Finance

4.6 Revenue (net) to date for the current financial year is $2.033 Million with a projected income of $2.4 Million (up from the previous projection of $1.9 Million) to the end of June 2018.

5. 5 Year Harvesting Plans

5.1 Nothing further to report since plans were approved at the last meeting.

5.2 Attachment 4 shows the PF Olsen quarterly (Oct- Dec 2017) harvesting report.

6. Alternate Uses

6.1 Council agreed to retire some 140Ha of forestry and consider alternate uses.

6.2 As resolved at the November 2017 FAG meeting, Lachie Grant (LandVision) will be in attendance to share further work on individual plan for each block.

6.3 For completeness, the comprehensive list of blocks where alternate uses are to be considered is shown in Attachment 5.

7. Forestry Stewardship Council Accreditation (FSC)

7.1 As resolved at the November 2017 FAG meeting:

7.2 PFOlsen will be in attendance to update the FAG on progress with the work they are undertaking in this matter.

8. Options

8.1 Alternate Use – Approval is sought on the individual plans prepared by LandVision.

9. Conclusion

9.1 This is the third update report since the FAG was officially approved with Terms of Reference.

Alec Louverdis

Group Manager Infrastructure

Attachments

Attachment 1: A1739267 - Terms of Reference - Forestry Advisory Group 21 September 2017 ⇩

Attachment 2: A1849406 - Summary of Recommendations to Council - Forestry Management Oct2017 ⇩

Attachment 3: A1561381 - Nelson City Council Forest Stands ⇩

Attachment 4: A1908827 - Quarterly Report 1 Oct to 31 Dec 2017 ⇩

Attachment 5: A1908918 - Alternate Use ⇩

Important considerations for decision making

1. Fit with Purpose of Local Government

The FAG and regular updates will support the effective and efficient management of Council’s productive forests.

2. Consistency with Community Outcomes and Council Policy

The FAG aligns with the following outcomes:

- Our Council provides leadership

- Our Council is supported by an innovative & sustainable economy.

3. Risk

The FAG has been set up to specifically reduce the risk to Council.

4. Financial impact

The FAG has been set up to monitor forestry activity.

5. Degree of significance and level of engagement

This update report is of low significance.

6. Inclusion of Māori in the decision making process

Maori have not been consulted as part of this report.

7. Delegations

The FAG’s TOR allow for the approval of harvesting plans with all other matters needing to go to Council.