Sustainable harvesting of native timber for the benefit of habitat health and biodiversity conservation

Authors: Tony Steer
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2014, Issue N.Z.J.For. 59(1) 2014, pp 37-41, May 2014
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

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Abstract: A healthy native forest ecosystem can support a huge variety of biodiversity, but what constitutes a ‘sustainable’ ecosystem and how this is achieved is less certain. Similar to many new world countries, New Zealand has lost much of its native forest cover since the arrival of Europeans, but still has over 30 per cent of its land area in the public conservation estate. Ensuring sufficient resources to actively manage this large publicly-owned estate for the long-term benefit of biodiversity is an ongoing challenge. This paper aims to identify the main drivers for biodiversity loss in the remaining native temperate forests and how various sustainable forest management (SFM) systems can be utilised to reverse habitat destruction and promote the conservation of indigenous species. Studies of ‘new world’ temperate zone native forests are used to compare successful SFM with the Department of Conservation’s (DOC’s) management of New Zealand’s publicly-owned and highly protected indigenous forest estate. Barriers to achieving ‘global’ best practice for habitat and biodiversity conservation in a New Zealand context are identified. Potential solutions to long-term sustainable management of New Zealand’s publicly owned indigenous forest estate are provided, with a focus the sustainable harvesting of native timber for revenue generation. Re-commencing sustainable harvesting of native timber for high-value uses could provide DOC with an additional income stream that could be targeted for pest control, improving forest ecosystem health and biodiversity for future generations.

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