Council manages forests in its reserve
THE LAND ON WHICH THE GONDOLAS RUN IS RESERVE land owned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, which leases a parcel either side of the cableway to Skyline Enterprises.
Since it is a public reserve, forming part of Ben Lomond Reserve, removing any trees needs to be undertaken within the council’s guidelines, rather than treated as a regular forestry site.
The QLDC does have a reserves forestry plan that covers trees growing in areas like Bob’s Peak and it has been upgraded to allow limited harvest operations over the last 12 years.
This involves coups and selected felling, which has provided net returns to the council on timber sales, mostly Douglas-fir logs to local mills.
The trees have proved to have incredible growth potential, maturing well under the 50-year harvest rotation normally seen with Douglas-Fir in southern latitudes.
Samples had been taken for further research to see why they grow so well.
Unfortunately, Douglas-fir also has prolific regeneration capability, which makes it a prime target for wilding conifer control groups.
The 2006 plan instigated by the council’s then forestry consultant, Branislav Zoric, involved some 650 hectares covering both Bob's Peak and Queenstown Hill areas.
Plots were established by Zoric and the area divided into a series of compartments depending on contour, ground cover, growth levels and species. This formed part of the plan to manage the trees on reserves, which was accepted by the council later in 2006.
I supervised two harvest operations and assisted Zoric on a parttime contract for the council.
Although the forests are listed as wilding trees it has been accepted as a sustainable and permanent backdrop to the township with wilding outlier control taking place above the 1000-metre mark. It also provides slope control against land slips and rock falls.
Proceeds from harvests are earmarked for enhancing tourist facilities and general forest management.
NZL