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4.1 Biodiversity in Plantation Forests
Authors: E G BrockerhoffPublication: NZIF Forestry Handbook, Volume Section 4 – Forests and the environment, pp 1, Dec 2023
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry
Abstract: Biological diversity, or 'biodiversity', describes the variety of life at different levels ranging from genes and species to ecosystems. The decline of biodiversity is an issue of global proportion, and New Zealand's unique biota is among the most threatened. The New Zealand Government recognised this and prepared the Biodiversity Strategy (DoC/MfE 2000) which aims to halt the decline of indigenous biodiversity, both in the conservation estate and on other land. Traditionally the management of New Zealand's plantation forests, as in other land uses, did not pay much attention to the conservation of biodiversity. A widely held view was that conservation happens in indigenous forests but not in plantations, although there was appreciation of the indirect conservation benefit of plantation-grown timber which reduces the need to harvest indigenous forests.