Native bush lost to forestry plantings

Marlborough has lost 670 hectares of native bush to forestry during the past six years, Forest and Bird says.

It’s on par with a national trend showing thousands of hectares of native habitat has been cleared across the country in recent years.

The data, which came from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, showed nationwide, New Zealand lost 2584 hectares of matagouri, and 5075 hectares of manuka.

Included in this total was the 670 hectares of scrub bush and shrub-land in Marlborough, made up mostly of matagouri, which was converted into ‘‘exotic forests’’.

Forest and Bird defined ‘‘exotic forests’’ as planted or naturalised forest predominantly made up of radiata pine but including other pine species. Production forestry was the main land use in this class.

Forest and Bird top of the south regional manager Debs Martin said in March the latest data was a ‘‘red alert’’ and presented ‘‘extremely strong evidence’’ that a voluntary approach did not protect biodiversity.

‘‘You have these wonderful landscapes and it’s being overplanted with pine forestry.

‘‘Some significant natural areas have been identified, with help provided to landowners with fencing and weed control. However, the process has been voluntary and the areas are not publicly listed,’’ Martin said.

‘‘Grey scrublands, including matagouri, are one of the most important habitat types and home to multiple species of geckos, we¯ta¯ and many rare plants,’’ she said.

Also in Marlborough, a further 59 hectares of fern land was converted to grass, although 13 hectares had been gained from harvested forests.

There was a loss of 243 hectares in tussock grass land, with most converted to other forms of native habitat, but 52 hectares converted to exotic forests. Marlborough also lost 14 hectares of native forests, of which 6 hectares were harvested, and 7 hectares were converted to high producing grassland.

Forest and Bird chief executive Kevin Hague said all native habitat was important, ‘‘but some is particularly undervalued’’.

‘‘Native scrub provides important shelter, nectar, and habitat for insects and birds,’’ Hague said.

‘‘The small twiggy nature of manuka and matagouri make rich homes for some of our more secretive wildlife like lizards, skinks, and beetles.’’