Pines versus natives: Tree schemes risk sacrificing native bush
Friday, 31 May 2019
Conservationists fear the push to plant more trees and capture more carbon could be responsible for the loss of native bush, home to birds and lizards.
They say the Government's One Billion Trees and the Emissions Trading Scheme offer more perks for people planting pines than those planting natives because pines capture more carbon and grow faster.
Forest & Bird top of the south manager Debs Martin was aware of cases of people planting pines over native scrubland.
'Marlborough has really cute geckos and skinks and people don't think about them when they plant over scrubland, or the fern birds that hide in there and feed off the insects,' Martin said.
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'It's actually really important scrubland… and lots of farmers do value it, and protect it. But some people might be tempted to plant that land with pines.
'Trees in the ground is good. But obviously it's about the right tree in the right place, that's our mantra.'
Biosecurity NZ said in May New Zealand's economy could take a multi-billion dollar hit if the spread of wilding pines and conifers was not addressed.
Wilding pines would spread to 7.5 million hectares of vulnerable land over a period of 15 to 30 years, well over a quarter of New Zealand's land area,a study said.
The South Marlborough Landscape Restoration Trust was formed in 2016 to eradicate wilding pines and co-ordinator Ket Bradshaw said the area's dry climate made it easier for wilding conifers to spread.
'There is a big concern about pine trees. On the one hand, we're clearing pine and douglas fir out of the Awatere Valley … but on the other hand part of the Government is saying we should be planting more of them,' Bradshaw said.
She doubted anyone would be able to plant over an ecologically significant area as they would never get resource consent, or meet the National Environmental Standard but pine seeds could travel up to 20 kilometres from a plantation, she said.
'It's very, very interesting times for New Zealand with the changing land use…to get the numbers they need, it forces us to look at exotic species which grow faster. But indigenous species, long term, is going to be way better.'
Kaikōura farmer Harold Inch was fined $10,374 for chopping down pines subject to the Emissions Trading Scheme, and had to pay back the $105,672 unit value of the trees.
He previously said he did not know the trees were registered when he bought the land five years ago, and wanted to let the land return to native bush.
'People are planting on wild tussock land, taking away the habitats of geckos and lizards and putting in pine trees,' Inch said.
Forestry Minister Shane Jones said two thirds of One Billion Trees grants would go to indigenous tree plantings.
'Grants include top-ups for plantings that have a greater ecological value, and include funding for fencing off regenerating or planted areas. This approach will protect existing habitats and create new ones for birds and other fauna.'
It was up to regional and district councils to make sure plantings were not planted in naturally significant areas such as tussock landscapes, he said, and a 'significant regulatory framework' dictated planting options to preserve significant natural areas or outstanding landscapes.
Ministry for Primary Industries forest development, grants and partnership director Damian Diack said 30 of the 36 grants approved under One Billion Trees included native tree planting. Applicants had to prove the tree species was suitable to the land.