Forest management consultation closing
Consultation on how Nelson City Council manages its commercial forests will close this week.
The council is seeking public feedback on its plan to seek Forest Stewardship Certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a globally recognised forestry standards authority.
The city council owns several forestry blocks, managed by PF Olsen, in the Brook, Maitai, Roding, and Marsden Valley.
PF Olsen has prepared a Forest Management Plan for the next five years, from June 2020 until June 2025, to achieve the certification.
The plan includes reference to Nelson Council’s plan to convert some of its commercial forestry blocks from douglas pine, which is prone to spreading, to either radiata for continued commercial harvesting, or back into native forest.
The FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation that promotes environmentally, socially and economically beneficial forestry management.
The FSC develops industry best-practice standards.
It sets out those standards as a series of 10 principles, covering everything from compliance with laws and maintaining or enhancing workers’ rights, through to environmental maintenance and improvement and conservation.
Stewardship certification is granted to forestry companies or organisations only when all of the FSC’s principles and criteria are applied.
There are 23 FSC certified forestry companies in New Zealand, with certified forests covering more than 1.3 million hectares.
The window for public consultation will close on Friday, July 3.