Forestry policy - what role should the public have?

Authors: Guy Watt
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2016, Issue N.Z.J.For. 61(3) 2016, pp 22-25, Nov 2016
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

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Abstract: The New Zealand Forest Policy project is aiming to develop a policy that will be acceptable to the government and will also be acceptable to future generations. The present focus of the project is on the economic and environmental benefits that forestry provides, but many people working in forestry feel that the public and politicians have very little understanding of the sector at present. Historically people tended to live and work in rural areas and so the public had an understanding of forestry, but now the majority of the population live in urban areas. It is therefore important to get their ideas and views about forestry, not only so the forestry policy being developed can benefit from them, but also to increase the public’s understanding and support for forestry. A forestry policy should not just relate to commercial plantations.

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