Forestry Advisory Group
4
April 2019
Page
No.
1. Apologies
Nil
2. Confirmation
of Order of Business
3. Interests
3.1 Updates
to the Interests Register
3.2 Identify
any conflicts of interest in the agenda
4. Public
Forum
5. Confirmation
of Minutes
5.1 6
December 2018 6 - 9
Document number M3982
Recommendation
|
That the Forestry Advisory Group
1. Confirms the minutes of the meeting
of the Forestry Advisory Group, held on 6 December 2018, as a true and
correct record.
|
6. Chairperson's Report
7. Forestry Update -
Number 7 - April 2019 10 - 30
Document number R9942
Recommendation
|
That the Forestry Advisory Group
1. Receives
the report Forestry Update - Number 7 - April 2019 (R9942) and
its attachments (A2146538, and A2156892); and
2. Approves
a site-specific harvesting option with respect to the Tantragee Block that
will allow consultation with the residents to commence; and
3. Approves
the revegetation plan for the Codgers/Tantragee block as per Attachment 2
(A2156892) of Report R9942.
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Public Excluded Business
8. Exclusion of the Public
Recommendation
|
That
the Forestry Advisory Group
1.
Confirms, in
accordance with sections 48(5) and 48(6) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987, that Sam Nuske of PF Olsen and Lachie
Grant of LandVision remain after the public has been excluded, for Item1 of
the Public Excluded agenda (Public Excluded minutes – 6 December 2018),
as they have knowledge relating to advice provided in the public excluded
session of the meeting on 6 December 2018 that will assist the meeting.
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Recommendation
That the Forestry
Advisory Group
1.
Excludes the
public from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting.
2.
The general subject of each matter to be
considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this resolution
in relation to each matter and the specific grounds under section 48(1) of the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of
this resolution are as follows:
|
Item
|
General subject of each matter to be
considered
|
Reason for passing this resolution in
relation to each matter
|
Particular interests protected (where
applicable)
|
|
1
|
Forestry Advisory Group Meeting - Public Excluded
Minutes - 6 December 2018
|
Section 48(1)(a)
The public conduct of this matter would be likely to
result in disclosure of information for which good reason exists under
section 7.
|
The withholding of the information is necessary:
· Section 7(2)(g)
To maintain legal
professional privilege
|
Forestry Advisory Group Minutes - 6
December 2018
Present: Mr
J Murray (Chairperson), Her Worship the Mayor R Reese, Councillor L Acland, Mr
A Louverdis (GM Infrastructure) and Mr P Gorman (Independent Forestry Expert)
In
Attendance: Fletcher Vautier Moore Managing Partner (S Ritchie),
LandVision Director (L Grant), PF Olsen representatives (S Nuske, K Richards, G
Brown and D Fincham) and Governance Adviser (J Brandt)
Apologies : Nil
1. Apologies
There were no apologies.
2. Confirmation of
Order of Business
It was noted that the meeting
would consider the public excluded business first.
3. Interests
There were no updates to the
Interests Register, and no interests with items on the agenda were declared.
4. Confirmation of
Minutes
4.1 11
September 2018
Document number M3753, agenda
pages 5 - 10 refer.
Attendance: Her Worship the Mayor joined the meeting at
3.03p.m.
|
Resolved FAG/2018/012
That the Forestry Advisory
Group
Confirms the
minutes of the meeting of the Forestry Advisory Group, held on 11 September
2018, as a true and correct record.
Her Worship the Mayor/Murray Carried
|
5. Exclusion
of the Public
It was noted that Stuart Ritchie
of Fletcher Vautier Moore, Lachie Grant of LandVision, and Sam Nuske, Kit
Richards, Gary Brown, Dave Fincham of PF Olsen would be in attendance for Item
1 of the Public Excluded agenda to answer questions and, accordingly, the
following resolution was required to be passed:
|
Resolved FAG/2018/013
That
the Forestry Advisory Group
Confirms,
in accordance with sections 48(5) and 48(6) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987, that S Ritchie of Fletcher Vautier Moore,
Lachie Grant of LandVision, and S Nuske, K Richards, G Brown and D Fincham of
PF Olsen remain after the public has been excluded, for Item 1 of the Public
Excluded agenda (Tantragee Block Harvesting: Legal Considerations), as they have
knowledge relating to the matter that will assist the meeting.
Her Worship the Mayor/Acland
Carried
|
|
Resolved FAG/2018/014
That
the Forestry Advisory Group
Excludes
the public from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting.
The
general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded,
the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter and the
specific grounds under section 48(1) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as
follows:
Her Worship the Mayor/Acland Carried
|
|
Item
|
General subject of each matter to be considered
|
Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter
|
Particular interests protected (where applicable)
|
|
1
|
Tantragee
Block Harvesting: Legal Considerations
|
Section 48(1)(a)
The public conduct of this
matter would be likely to result in disclosure of information for which good
reason exists under section 7
|
The
withholding of the information is necessary:
· Section 7(2)(g)
To maintain legal
professional privilege
|
The meeting went into public excluded session at 3.04p.m.
and resumed in public session at 4.28p.m.
Attendance: Her Worship the Mayor R
Reese left the meeting at 4.29p.m.
6. Chairperson's Report
There
was no Chairperson’s report.
7. Forestry Update -
Number 6 - December 2018
Document number R9689, agenda
pages 11 - 49 refer.
Group Manager Infrastructure,
Alec Louverdis, presented the report.
Discussion took place regarding
good management practices. The application of the new National Environmental
Standards (NES) was considered a minimum requirement for harvesting and that
each site should be assessed case by case as to whether there was a need to go
beyond the NES.
It was noted that if bridges
spanning the rivers in the Maitai and Roding forestry blocks could not be put
in place for the 2019 harvest, a revised harvest schedule would be brought back
to the Forestry Advisory Group, including revised budgets.
|
Resolved FAG/2018/015
That the Forestry Advisory
Group
Receives the report Forestry Update –
Number 6 – December (R9864)
and its attachments (A2077577, A2077575, A2077572 and A2090601).
Acland/Murray Carried
|
There being no further business the meeting ended at 4.50p.m.
Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings:
Chairperson
Date
Item 7: Forestry Update
- Number 7 - April 2019
|
|
Forestry Advisory Group
4 April 2019
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REPORT R9942
Forestry
Update - Number 7 - April 2019
1. Purpose of Report
1.1 To provide an update
to the Forestry Advisory Group (Group) on forestry activities since Council
adopted the Forestry Review recommendations in September 2016 and since the December
2018 update.
2. Recommendation
|
That
the Forestry Advisory Group
1. Receives
the report Forestry Update - Number 7 - April 2019 (R9942) and
its attachments (A2146538, and A2156892); and
2. Approves
a site-specific harvesting option with respect to the Tantragee Block that
will allow consultation with the residents to commence; and
3. Approves
the revegetation plan for the Codgers/Tantragee block as per Attachment 2
(A2156892) of Report R9942.
|
3. Update
Commercial Forestry
3.1 Harvesting is complete
in the Roding forest.
3.2 Planning is well
underway for harvesting in the Maitai forestry blocks, which is now expected to
commence in the winter of 2020. This is a year later than previously
anticipated and as advised to the Group. The main reason for the delay relates
to assessing options and costs for a new bridge
required to span the Maitai River that will enable harvesting to progress. That
cost is estimated at $250,000, but will provide long-term access for future
harvesting.
Douglas Fir and Acacia Harvesting
and Poisoning
3.3 Progress is
detailed below.
|
Block
|
Stand
|
Species
|
Status
|
Area (Ha)
|
|
Brook
|
22.03
|
D fir
|
Harvesting
complete
|
5.8
|
|
Brook
|
22.08
|
D fir
|
To be
undertaken in conjunction with the privately owned adjacent forest block but
no timeframe has been provided by their harvester.
|
3.4
|
|
Maitai
|
4.04
|
D fir
|
Harvesting
complete
|
2.2
|
|
Maitai
|
4.13
|
D fir
|
Poisoned
|
0.5
|
|
Maitai
|
9.01
|
D fir
|
Group
resolved in September 2018 to consider harvesting the remaining 3Ha in 2022
and to re-plant the rest of the block in radiata.
|
4.3
|
|
Maitai
|
10.01
|
D fir
|
Poisoned
|
1.8
|
|
Maitai
|
4.08
|
Acacia
|
Poisoned
|
1.3
|
|
Marsden
|
42.06
|
D fir
|
Group resolved that this block not be cleared until the
trees can be commercially harvested around 2027 with a review to be
undertaken in 2022.
|
20.3
|
|
Marsden
|
44.01
|
D fir
|
Within
Cemetery block - summer harvesting only (possibly 2020) and subject to
contractor availability. Will depend on fire risk. PF Olsen, Peter Gorman and
Lachie Grant to assess risk of Douglas Fir wilding spread from such a small
block and to advise to either harvest or not harvest.
|
0.5
|
|
Roding
|
55.03
|
Acacia
|
Poisoned
|
4.6
|
3.4 The
potential for Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) liabilities was reported to the
December 2018 meeting and is not replicated here.
Brook Block 21/04
|
Group
resolutions
|
Progress
|
|
Approves the felling to waste of the remaining Brook block 21/04 at an
estimated cost of $10,000.
This block adjoins the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary
|
Includes poisoning and fell to waste. To take
place during low public use and will be co-ordinated with MTB Club and BWST.
Poisoning is complete. Consultation on felling with MTB Club and BWST has
commenced. All operations will be undertaken in accordance with new NES
standards and good practice. Felling to waste is scheduled to take place towards
the end of winter 2019.
|
Tantragee Block (Brook) harvesting
3.5 The Group approved that
the “Tantragee Block” be harvested/felled to waste/poisoned, with
urgency, to address health and safety concerns, subject to the preparation of a
site specific plan by PF Olsen and approved by the Independent Forestry Expert.
3.6 Following the presentation by PF Olsen to the Group in
December 2018 on options to achieve this harvesting, the Committee requested PF
Olsen to undertake more work and report back to the April 2019 meeting. PF
Olsen will present their updated progress plan and estimated cost at the
meeting.
3.7 Once the plan is
approved in principle, consultation via a face-to-face meeting with the
affected residents will take place. A harvesting date is yet to be determined
and is dependent on approval of the plan and consultation.
Pigeon Valley Fire and PF
Olsen involvement
3.8 PF Olsen have been actively involved in the Pigeon Valley
Fire since 7 February 2018. This has included assisting the FENZ Incident
Management Team, fighting the actual fires and making their offices available
to Civil Defence. In addition work in the forests was strictly curtailed
following the fire ban imposed on the area.
Tasman Pine Forests and Waahi
Taakaro harvesting
3.9 The small area of
Council owned forest adjacent to the Waahi Taakaro golf club has yet to be harvested by Tasman Pine Forests as
part of their larger block.
Health and Safety
3.10 No Safe Work Observations (SWO)
were undertaken this quarter by Peter Gorman. A joint SWO with the entire Group
will be undertaken when the Maitai harvesting work recommences.
Finance
3.11 Harvesting net revenue for this quarter was $412,588
against the full year budget of $776,249 (revised down from the previously
noted $1,115,947 as a result of the delay of harvesting of the Maitai blocks). Refer
to Attachment 1 – PF Olsen Quarterly report (October 2018 to December 2018)
- the Quarterly report reflects the delay in this harvesting.
4. 5-Year Harvesting
Plans
4.1 The 5 year harvesting
Plan will be changed to reflect the Maitai Block harvesting moving to the
winter of 2020.
5. Other issues
5.1 PF Olsen has completed the slash trap in the Roding
catchment.
6. Alternate Uses
6.1 Council agreed to
retire some 140Ha of forestry and consider alternate uses. The Group resolved
at the 12 June 2018 meeting as below.
Approves
the revised specific site plans as presented by LandVision at the 12 June 2018
Forestry Advisory Group meeting, subject to further refinement on financial
implications, priorities and consultation, relating to Alternate Use of the
stands to be retired from commercial forestry.
6.2 Lachie Grant
(LandVision) will be in attendance to answer questions related to:
6.2.1 The Brook
block (21/04) replanting – Plants have been ordered and spraying was
undertaken in early February. Breakdown of gorse and broom will be re-assessed
prior to winter and the need for a second spray assessed at that time. However,
it is unlikely that this block will be ready for planting this coming season
and the plants will be used at the Maitai Dam under the MPI Memorial
planting.
6.2.2 The application to the Hill Country
Erosion Fund, through Environmental Programmes, for 50,000 native re-vegetation
seedlings per year from 2020 for four years has been successful. These
seedlings will be used between the Nelson Forestry land and forest retirement
on private land. The table below shows the breakdown.
|
Year
|
Number of seedlings
|
|
2020-21
|
30,000
|
|
2021-22
|
25,000
|
|
2022-23
|
25,000
|
|
2023-24
|
TBC
|
6.2.3 Lachie Grant has prepared a
revegetation plan for the Codgers/Tantragee and that report is appended as
Attachment 2.
7. Forestry
Stewardship Council Accreditation (FSC)
7.1 PF Olsen has finalised
the draft FSC management plan and will prepare a consultation document that
will come back to the Group for sign-off before consultation commences. Any
feedback from that consultation will be considered for possible inclusion in
the final plan before seeking accreditation.
7.2 Following a
presentation by PF Olsen at the December meeting, it was agreed that
consultation would wait on the outcome of the more detailed harvest planning being
carried out on the sensitive harvest areas in the Maitai, Tantragee and Marsden
Valley forests and incorporating those lessons into the planning and
consultation.
Author: Alec
Louverdis, Group Manager Infrastructure
Attachments
Attachment 1: A2146538
- PF Olsen Quarterly Forestry Report - Oct 2018 - Dec 2018 ⇩
Attachment
2: A2156892 - LandVision Revegetation of Codgers/Tantragee ⇩
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Important considerations for decision making
|
|
1. Fit with Purpose of
Local Government
The regular updates support the effective and
efficient management of Council’s productive forests.
|
|
2. Consistency with
Community Outcomes and Council Policy
The Group aligns with the
following outcomes: “Our Council provides leadership and is supported
by an innovative and sustainable economy”.
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3. Risk
The Group has been set up to specifically have an
oversight on all things relating to forestry to reduce the risk to Council.
|
|
4. Financial impact
The Group has been set up to monitor forestry activity
and to manage income and expenses accordingly. The expenditure recommended in
this report is in line with this oversight.
|
|
5. Degree of significance
and level of engagement
This update report is of low significance. The
Group has assessed the Alternate Use Management Plan and agreed on an
appropriate level of engagement on specific sites.
|
|
6. Inclusion of Māori in
the decision making process
Maori have not been consulted as part of this
report.
|
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7. Delegations
The Group’s Terms of Reference powers to
decide include:
“a. Forestry and harvesting management plans (including
replanting) as prepared by the Forestry contractor and endorsed by the
independent forestry external expert;
b. Engagement of consultants required to undertake all works
necessary to guide recommendations to the Commercial Subcommittee and
Council.”
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