Forest trespassers cause major havoc

Trespassers with mischievous intent have forestry companies paying more for security.

Illegal hunting, rubbish dumping, vandalism and drug growing are all happening on vast tracts of private forest land.

Companies are building stronger gates to bar public access, only to find better tools are being used to dismantle them.

Hancock Forest Management environment manager Sally Strang said the company spent

$449,999 on security in the year to December 2017, including $250,000 on repairing and replacing vandalised gates and locks.

This was a sharp increase from a total of $365,000 in 2010, with

$97,000 spent on gates and locks. Of 440 incidents in 2017, there were: 91 damaged or cut gates, 121 cut and stolen padlocks, 39 instances of theft and 110 cases of trespassing and poaching.

Over 20 incidents were passed on to police.

Timberlands forest risk manager Colin Maunder said the company responded to about one breach a fortnight and about 400 incidents a year.

Incidents include dumping rubbish, illegal hunting, or people taking shortcuts through the 189,000 hectare Kaingaroa Forest estate Timberlands manages.

‘‘It’s not just to keep people out from hunting … there are a number of other reasons and some of them are a little worse, more malign than hunting,’’ Maunder said.

‘‘A little bit of ‘tomato growing’ happens.

‘‘We have had people put soil into fuel [tanks]. We know when one particular individual is in jail because the diesel theft drops right off.’’

If they don’t ram their way into the estate, trespassers have taken gas axes to gates made of railway iron, costing between $3000 and $5000.

‘‘We develop better and better gates, the criminals, if you want to call them that, develop better methods of getting through.’’

Due to firearm concerns and a ‘‘gang element’’, there are protocols in place instructing security contractors to avoid confrontation and report any issues to police.

A successful arrangement has been made with Timberland’s primary landlords, eight local iwi, to deal with trespassers.

Iwi members who trespass are educated and pledge not to trespass again. The initial 100 people a year taken through the process has been reduced to about 20, with less than 10 returning.

‘‘We also allow opportunities for iwi to collect cultural foods as well, especially pigs.

‘‘So if the family’s got a tangi, rather than sneaking in to get some pork, they can get permission.’’ Timberlands issues 250,000 hunting and fishing permits a year.

Forest Owners Association communications manager Don Carson said security requirements have increased under new health and safety legislation.

‘‘It does require work places to be secure and if the public at large is in a workplace, then that’s putting them at risk.’’

Paper roads and easement requirements from old Forest Service entitlements are part of complicated policy and legal considerations, he said.

Police declined an interview, but communications staff provided a statement attributed to Tokoroa police Inspector Stephen Bullock.

‘‘Tokoroa Police are aware this is an ongoing concern within the forestry sector and raises health and safety risks to individuals who are legally within the forest.

‘‘Some people will travel great distances from outside of the area to illegally hunt in these forests.’’

Damage of gates and machinery, theft, and illegal hunting are reported to police and investigated, Bullock said.