Forestry Advisory Group Minutes - 30
July 2019
Present: Mr
J Murray (Chairperson), Her Worship the Mayor R Reese, Mr A Louverdis and Mr P
Gorman
In
Attendance: Councillor Ian Barker, Environmental
Programmes Advisor (S Moore-Lavo); Lachie Grant (LandVision); Sam Nuske, Johan
Visscher and Mitch White (PF Olsen Ltd) and Governance Adviser (J Brandt)
Apology: Councillor
Acland
1. Apologies
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Resolved FAG/2019/009
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That the Forestry Advisory Group
1. Receives
and accepts an apology from Councillor Acland.
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Murray/Her Worship the Mayor Carried
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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. Confirmation of
Minutes
4.1 4
April 2019
Document number M4133, agenda
pages 4 - 9 refer.
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Resolved FAG/2019/010
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That the Forestry
Advisory Group
1. Confirms the minutes of the
meeting of the Forestry Advisory Group, held on 4 April 2019, as a true and
correct record.
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Murray/Her Worship the Mayor Carried
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5 Forestry Update
- Number 8 - July 2019
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Document number R10117, agenda pages 10 - 26 refer.
Group Manager Infrastructure, Alec
Louverdis, presented the report. He provided an update about the engagement
process undertaken with residents in the Tantragee, about the envisaged
timeline for harvesting, noting that it was likely to be undertaken in 2020.
Mr Grant of LandVision tabled a
document (A2239690) and answered questions about fire risk assessments matrix
undertaken for Parks and Reserves.
The Group agreed that the matrix
and definitions presented were suitable to assess forest blocks close to the
city, and that where there were overlaps with assessments carried out for
parks and reserves, the Group would like to see the information.
Environmental Programmes Adviser,
Susan Moore-Lavo, answered questions about the regional forestry role, noting
the appointment of Brad Chandler to the role and that the regional approach
was envisaged to improve consistency across the Top of the South.
PF Olsen gave a Powerpoint
presentation updating the Group on the log market in general, and the
situation particular to Nelson. Mr Nuske outlined impacts of the downturn for
Nelson and the value recovery achieved through management strategies.
PF Olsen noted the tending and
pruning regime used in Nelson City Council forests. It was noted that in
order to ensure maximum fire risk mitigation, consideration would be given
whether to prune or not to prune as part of the fire risk mapping to be
undertaken.
Mr Louverdis tabled two documents,
the Tree Crop Valuation 2018 (A2235770) and the Tree Crop Valuation 2019
(A2235775). He noted that, in summary, the value of Nelson City Council
forestry blocks had gone up by approximately $180K.
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Resolved FAG/2019/011
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That the Forestry Advisory Group
1. Receives
the report (R10117) and its Attachments
(A2199402, A2214620 and A2209414); and
2. Approves
the 0.5 Ha Douglas Fir block in Marsden Valley (44.01) not be
harvested.
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Her Worship the Mayor/Murray Carried
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Attachments
1 A2239690 - Fire
risk assessment criteria
2 A2239156 - PF
Olsen Powerpoint presentation
3 A2235770 - Tree
Crop Valuation 2018
4 A2235775 - Tree
Crop Evaluation 2019
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There being no further business the meeting ended at 4.36p.m.
Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings:
Chairperson
Date
Item 6: Forestry Update
- Number 9 - September 2019
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Forestry Advisory Group
10 September 2019
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REPORT R10380
Forestry
Update - Number 9 - September 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 July 2019 update.
2. Recommendation
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That
the Forestry Advisory Group
1. Receives
the report Forestry Update - Number 9 - September 2019 (R10380) and its
Attachments (A2256013, A2255860, A2257694, A2253872, A2251919 and A2251918);
and
2. Receives
the fire risk assessment of forestry assets (A2256013) of Report R10380;
and
3. Notes
the fire risk assessment undertaken on Parks and Reserves assets (A2255860)
of Report R10380.
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3. Update
Douglas
Fir Harvesting and Poisoning
3.1 Update
is detailed below. Only outstanding items are shown in the table.
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block/stand/species/area
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Status
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Brook/22.08/D
Fir/3.4Ha
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Programmed
for late Oct to Dec 2019.
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Maitai/9.01/D
Fir/4.3Ha
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Group
resolved in Sept 2018 to consider harvesting the remaining 3Ha in 2022 &
to re-plant the rest of the block in radiata.
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Marsden/42.06/D
Fir/20.3Ha
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Group resolved that this block not be cleared until the
trees can be commercially harvested around 2027 with a review in 2022.
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Brook
Block 21/04
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Group
resolutions
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Progress
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Approves the felling to waste of the remaining Brook block 21/04
adjoining the BWST.
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All work is complete.
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Tantragee Block (Brook) harvesting
3.2 The Group
resolved in April 2019 as follows:
“Approves a
site-specific harvesting option in principle (A2171177) with respect to the
Tantragee Block that will allow consultation with the residents to commence,
noting that the final plan will be presented to the Forestry Advisory Group”
3.3 Poisoning of
trees for stage one is complete with stage 2 to commence in the winter of 2020.
3.4 Following the
initial public consultation meeting with residents on 27 May and several follow
up meetings to discuss hours of work, PFOlsen developed and presented a
harvesting plan for Zone 4 to residents on 28 August 2019. A harvesting date
has been tentatively set for January 2020.
3.5 The removal of
several trees requested by two of the residents is planned to be undertaken in
September. One tree is very close to powerlines and requires co-ordination with
the utility operator.
Tasman Pine Forests and Waahi
Taakaro harvesting
3.6 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.
Fire
Risk
3.7 The Group
requested, following the recent Pigeon Valley fires, that an assessment be made
of Nelson’s forestry assets with respect to the fire risk. Refer to Attachment 1.
3.8 The Group also
noted the work done on non-forestry estates (parks and reserves) and requested
that they be provided a summary of that assessment. Refer to Attachment 2.
Health and Safety
3.9 A SWO with the
entire Group is planned for the afternoon of 10 September before this meeting
in the Maitai block.
Finance
3.10 Harvesting net revenue for the year was $784,496 against the full year
budget of $1,959,973. Refer to Attachment 3 – PF Olsen Annual report ending 30 June 2019.
3.11 An updated summary of
Council budgets is appended as Attachment 4.
4. Harvesting Plans
4.1 Schedule of harvesting:
4.1.1 Maitai – late August until
late October 2019.
4.1.2 Brook
– late October to end December 2019. PF Olsen will be liaising with the
NMTBC for their International Aorere Enduro event scheduled for 26-28 October
2019.
4.1.3 Tantragee
– January 2020.
4.2 On the back of moving in a crew to harvest the area in the
Maitai, PF Olsen will also be harvesting the four small blocks in the Brook
(see item 4.1.2) as follows (refer to Attachment 5):
4.2.1 Block 22/08
– Harvesting using hauler and existing skid site. Public walkway and
swimming hole will need closing.
4.2.2 Block
22/02 - Harvesting using hauler and existing skid
site. Minimal recreational impacts.
4.2.3 Block
22/06 – Harvesting using hauler and existing skid site. Some
mountain bike trails will need to be closed.
4.2.4 Block
22/05 – Harvesting of main trees to existing skid site, with the rest of
the trees to be poisoned to mitigate risk to water pipeline and private properties.
5. Alternate Uses
5.1 Council agreed
to retire approximately 140Ha of forestry and consider alternate uses and this
Group has approved the Alternate Use Plan. Lachie Grant (LandVision) will be in
attendance to answer any questions the Committee may have relating to alternate
use.
5.2 The work planned for 2019/20 is appended as Attachment 6.
6. Forestry
Stewardship Council Accreditation (FSC)
6.1 PF Olsen has
finalised the draft FSC management plan and is preparing a consultation
document. Any feedback from that consultation will be considered for possible
inclusion in the final plan before seeking accreditation.
6.2 The Group 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.
6.3 The draft
consultation document will come back to the Group for sign-off in the new
calendar year.
Author: Alec
Louverdis, Group Manager Infrastructure
Attachments
Attachment 1: A2256013
- NCC Forestry Fire Risk ⇩
Attachment
2: A2255860 - NCC Reserves Fire Risk Summary ⇩
Attachment
3: A2257694 - Forestry Annual Report ⇩
Attachment
4: A2253872 - Forestry Accounts ⇩
Attachment
5: A2251919 - Brook Small Harvest Areas ⇩
Attachment
6: A2251918 - Alternative Species Update Aug 19 ⇩
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Important considerations for decision making
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1. Fit with Purpose of
Local Government
The regular updates support the effective and
efficient management of Council’s productive forests.
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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.
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4. Financial impact
The Group has been set up to monitor forestry activity
and to manage income and expenses accordingly. All expenditure recommended in
this report is in line with this oversight.
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5. Degree of significance
and level of engagement
This update report is of low significance.
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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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Forestry Advisory Group
